PBKS vs RCB Prediction: Who Will Win Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2026 Match Today?

Punjab Kings (PBKS) host the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Match 61 as the Indian Premier League 2026 action heads to the Dharamshala at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium.

This afternoon's fixture carries immense weight for both franchises. The Punjab Kings currently sit in a marginal 4th position on the points table with 13 points and 6 wins and 5 losses. However, following a recent 6-wicket defeat against the Mumbai Indians, PBKS will be desperate to bounce back and solidify their top-two playoff spot. On the other side, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru arrive needing a victory to maintain their momentum and top spot with 16 points in the tight playoff race.

PBKS vs RCB Match Schedule

• Match: Punjab Kings (PBKS) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
• Date: Sunday, May 17, 2026 | 3:30 PM IST
• Venue: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium, Dharamshala
• Captains: Shreyas Iyer (PBKS), Rajat Patidar (RCB)

PBKS vs RCB Head-to-Head Records

PBKS and RCB have faced each other 37 times in the IPL. Out of these, PBKS have won 18 times whereas RCB have won 19 times.

• PBKS won: 18
• RCB won: 19
• NR/Tie: 0

PBKS vs RCB Probable Playing 11

Punjab Kings (PBKS): Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Suryansh Shedge, Azmatullah Omarzai, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Ben Dwarshuis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Venkatesh Iyer, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam Dar, Jacob Duffy, Josh Hazlewood.

PBKS vs RCB Prediction: Who will Win the Match Today?

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter this contest as slight favorites with a 56.6% winning probability. While PBKS has been exceptional this season, driven by their top run-scorer Prabhsimran Singh (439 runs) and top wicket-taker Arshdeep Singh (13 wickets), the unique conditions in Dharamshala level the playing field.

At an altitude of 1,457m, pacers generally extract extra swing and bounce. This perfectly suits RCB's frontline speedster, Josh Hazlewood. Furthermore, afternoon conditions combined with a high 60% rain risk mean DLS could come into play. Historically, teams defending a total have won 7 out of 11 internationals at this venue, making the toss crucial. Expect RCB's bowling attack and aggressive top order to edge out Punjab in a tightly contested thriller.

Match Prediction: Royal Challengers Bengaluru to win this match.