PBKS face RCB in a crucial encounter

PBKS will be desperate to halt the slide and strengthen their chances of securing a top-four finish

Dharamshala: Punjab Kings (PBKS) will clash with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 61st match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium on Sunday.

Punjab began their campaign in dominant fashion, winning six of their opening seven matches and emerging as one of the strongest sides in the tournament.

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However, their momentum has faded in recent weeks, with Shreyas lyer’s men suffering five consecutive defeats.

As the playoff battle heats up, PBKS will be desperate to halt the slide and strengthen their chances of securing a top-four finish.

PBKS are currently placed at fourth position in the points table with 13 points in 12 matches.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been one of the best teams in IPL 2026, winning eight of their 12 matches so far.

They are almost through to the playoffs and will now look to secure a top-two finish with a win against the Kings.

RCB are coming into this match with confidence after beating the Kolkata Knight Riders, thanks to a brilliant century from Virat Kohli.

The finalists of IPL 2025 will face each other for the first time this season.

Last time they met, RCB came out on top and later won the title. With both teams in very different situations this season, this match promises to be an exciting contest between two strong sides.

PBKS and RCB have faced each other 37 times in the IPL so far. RCB holds a slight edge with 19 wins, while PBKS have won 18 matches.

There have been no ties or no results between the two teams.

Their first meeting came on May 5, 2008, when PBKS secured the victory.

The most recent clash was on June 3, 2025, with RCB coming out on top.

When: Sunday, May 17, 3:30 PM IST

Where: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala

Where to watch: The PBKS vs RCB match will be broadcast on Star Sports channels, with JioHotstar live-streaming the game.

Squads:

Punjab Kings: Shreyas lyer (c), Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod (wicketkeeper), Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar (captain), Virat Kohli, Tim David, Jacob Bethell, Romario Shepherd, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jordan Cox, Suyash Sharma, Venkatesh lyer, Swapnil Singh, Jacob Duffy, Kanishk Chouhan, Abhinandan Singh, Mangesh Yadav, Phil Salt, Satvik Deswal, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra. –IANS sds/