Summary of this article
PBKS take on RCB in match 61 of the ongoing IPL 2026 in Dharamsala
Punjab Kings have failed to defend 200-plus totals
RCB will qualify for the playoffs if they beat PBKS at the HPCA stadium
Punjab Kings welcome the current holders of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Match No. 61 on May 17 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.
PBKS are fourth in the IPL 2026 standings, with six wins from 12 matches. However, their brilliant start to the campaign has been easily forgotten with their five consecutive defeats.
Shreyas Iyer-led side cannot be complacent as a defeat today could end their qualification for the playoffs. The team will be eager to bounce back and come back to winning ways to finish in the top-2 in the points table.
Meanwhile, RCB are first in the IPL 2026 points table with eight wins and four losses from 12 matches. They will be eager to beat PBKS to gain two valuable points to clinch the playoff spot.
PBKS Vs RCB, IPL 2026: Match Prediction
The tide has turned towards RCB's favour, given their upswing in form. The defending champions are one win away from clinching the playoff spot and no better way to do that against a struggling PBKS team. Shreyas Iyer-led side have lost five on the spin and today's defeat could really spell their end in this tournament.
Google has given PBKS 46% chance of winning today's contest with RCB having 54% chance. Virat Kohli will be the cynosure of everyone's eyes for today's big game as they look to book their spot in the playoffs.
PBKS Vs RCB, IPL 2026: H2H Record
Matches: 37
PBKS won: 18
RCB won: 19
PBKS Vs RCB, IPL 2026: Predicted XIs
PBKS: Priyansh Arya, Vishnu Vinod (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.Impact Player: Prabhsimran Singh.
RCB: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Venkatesh Iyer, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rakish Salam Dar, Josh Hazlewood.Impact Player: Jacob Duffy
