Are you ready for today’s clash between the two most effective teams of this season? PBKS vs RCB, the match number 61, is a fate-decider contest. Royal Challengers Bengaluru is just one victory away from qualifying for the playoffs. In contrast, the Punjab Kings would want to end their jinx by winning this match and ending their streak of 5 consecutive defeats.
Both teams have in-form players, but RCB has been consistent and is at the top of the IPL 2026 points table. Punjab Kings had an amazing start in the tournament, where they were seen as the bogeyman of this season.
Won the first 6 matches out of 7, and one ended in a no-result. PBKS was dominating the points table. In their 8th match, they ended their winning streak against the Rajasthan Royals, and since then, the tournament has gone downhill for them.
Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Match Details
| Match | Details |
|---|---|
| Match | PBKS vs RCB |
| Tournament | IPL 2026 |
| Match Number | 61 |
| Date | Sunday, 17 May 2026 |
| Time | 3:30 PM IST |
| Venue | HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala |
| Live Streaming | JioHotstar |
PBKS vs RCB Head-to-Head Record (Last 5 Matches)
PBKS
On Sunday, 17th May, these two teams will face each other for the first time in IPL 2026. Punjab Kings’ record against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru has been very disappointing for fans. PBKS lost 4 of their last 5 matches against RCB.
Who can forget the thrilling IPL 2025 final between RCB and PBKS? Both teams had the opportunity to win their first IPL trophy, but, lucky for RCB, they finally got their first final victory and became the 2025 Indian Premier League champions.
Both teams have explosive batting line-ups, but RCB’s Bowling attack is far superior to PBKS’s. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the orange cap holder so far this season.
Both teams have great in-form batters: RCB have 3 (Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar), and PBKS have 4 (Prabhsimran Singh, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer, Priyansh Arya) in the list of top 20 run scorers of this season. The main difference will be the bowlers in this match: RCB have Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, who have troubled the top batters of all teams, while PBKS have Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh, who haven’t performed to their potential.
HPCA Stadium Dharamsala Pitch Report for PBKS vs RCB
| Pitch Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Batting Friendly / Balanced |
| Average First Innings Score | 180+ |
| Dew Factor | Possible |
| Pace or Spin Support | Better for Pacers |
- The Surface: The HPCA stadium has small boundaries, and the pitch offers high-scoring matches with consistent bounce.
- The Altitude Factor: The stadium in Dharamshala is among the most beautiful in the world. It is situated at a high altitude, and the thinner air makes it super easy for batters to clear the boundaries.
- The 3:30 PM Factor: The PBKS vs RCB game is an afternoon game, which makes the dew factor negligible and creates a level playing field for spinners in the second inning.
Weather Report
| Weather Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 22.2˚C |
| Rain Chances | 1% |
| Humidity | 31% |
| Wind Speed | 10 km/h |
| Conditions | Mostly sunny |
Probable Playing XIs for PBKS and RCB
It is important to know the playing 11 if you want to participate in fantasy games like Dream11. If you are interested in learning about Online cricket betting ID, first read the guide to choosing the right gaming partner for yourself.
Punjab Kings Predicted Playing XI
This is the expected lineup for the Punjab Kings, keeping in mind potential changes to their bowling attack and batting order.
| Position | Player Name |
| 1 | Priyansh Arya |
| 2 | Prabhsimran Singh (wk) |
| 3 | Cooper Connolly |
| 4 | Shreyas Iyer (c) |
| 5 | Suryansh Shedge |
| 6 | Vishnu Vinod |
| 7 | Azmatullah Omarzai |
| 8 | Marco Jansen |
| 9 | Lockie Ferguson |
| 10 | Arshdeep Singh |
| 11 | Harpreet Brar |
| Impact Sub | Yuzvendra Chahal |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Predicted Playing XI
Royal Challengers Bengaluru are likely to field this strong and settled lineup as they look to secure their spot at the top of the points table.
| Position | Player Name |
| 1 | Jacob Bethell |
| 2 | Virat Kohli |
| 3 | Devdutt Padikkal |
| 4 | Rajat Patidar (c) |
| 5 | Tim David |
| 6 | Jitesh Sharma (wk) |
| 7 | Krunal Pandya |
| 8 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
| 9 | Rasikh Salam Dar |
| 10 | Josh Hazlewood |
| 11 | Jacob Duffy |
| Impact Sub | Venkatesh Iyer |
PBKS vs RCB Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Prediction & Top Picks
IF you want to create the fantasy team then first you need to look at the key players from both the teams. We have created the best fantasy team which you can choose and make captain and vice captain from the list of top performers below.
| Role | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| WK | Phil Salt | RCB |
| WK | Prabhsimran Singh | PBKS |
| BAT | Virat Kohli (C) | RCB |
| BAT | Shreyas Iyer (vc) | PBKS |
| BAT | Rajat Patidar | RCB |
| ALL | Liam Livingstone | RCB |
| ALL | Marcus Stoinis | PBKS |
| ALL | Glenn Maxwell | PBKS |
| BOWL | Arshdeep Singh | PBKS |
| BOWL | Mohammed Siraj | RCB |
| BOWL | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | RCB |
We have picked three fast bowlers in our top pick for fantasy cricket because the Dharamshala pitch supports fast bowlers. The pacers have taken 87 wickets, and only 21 wickets have been taken by the spinners in the last 10 matches at this stadium.
Captain & Vice-Captain Picks
| Choice | Player | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Captain | Virat Kohli | Consistent IPL run scorer |
| Vice-Captain | Prabhsimran Singh | Explosive powerplay batter |
| Safe Pick | Shreyas Iyer | Reliable middle-order batter |
| Differential Pick | Marcus Stoinis | Can contribute with bat & ball |
Virat Kohli is the obvious choice for captain because he is consistent throughout the season and is one of the top contenders for the orange cap. Right now, he is at number 4 because in yesterday’s GT vs KKR match, Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill performed well and claimed the number 1 and 2 spots. Virat has scored 484 runs in 12 matches. His highest score this season is 105* runs, and he is playing with a strike rate of 166.
Prabhsimran Singh is an explosive powerplay batter. He is at number 10 in the Orange Cap race with 439 runs in 12 matches. He is more consistent; he has scored 5 fifties with the highest score of 80* in IPL 2026 so far.
Top Fantasy Picks
| Category | Player |
|---|---|
| Best Batter | Virat Kohli |
| Best Bowler | Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
| X-Factor Player | Glenn Maxwell |
| Budget Pick | Rajat Patidar |
| Risky Pick | Liam Livingstone |
PBKS vs RCB Match Odds & Toss Prediction
Looking at the betting odds, we can see that RCB is the clear favourite due to their momentum and record against PBKS. Everything depends on the toss, as teams batting first in afternoon matches have an upper hand at this venue, as seen in recent matches.
Punjab Kings have an explosive opening pair with batters like Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya. Also, they have a strong middle order, with players like Shreyas Iyer, so they pose a solid threat to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The Lotus365 sportsbook is giving good odds on the victory of the Punjab Kings. Although Punjab have had a very rough last 5 matches in IPL 2026, don’t forget their performance in the first 7 matches. At one point, they looked like an invincible side, and they can still dominate RCB in this match.
Note: Betting is financially risky. If you want to do it, please be careful and read the laws of your area before putting any money into betting.
Final Verdict: Who Will Win Today’s Match?
It will be an exciting match as it is a do-or-die for both teams. If RCB wins, they will become the first team to enter the playoffs in IPL 2026. If they lose, they will have to win the last match at any cost; otherwise, they will depend on other teams for their playoff scenario. On the other hand, having stayed at the top for a long time, PBKS have fallen to 4th. They also want to break their losing streak and again claim their top position. Don’t be surprised to see a thriller and passionate performances from both teams today.
We want to go with the Punjab Kings, as they will have to put in their full effort to win this match. They have a great batting lineup and an experienced bowling attack, and they have every reason to perform today, so that is why we believe PBKS can win this match.