RCB aim to enter playoffs, PBKS in do-or-die situation:Repeat of last year’s final, must-win clash for Punjab Kings

The IPL 2026 playoff race has been full of twists and turns with every passing game, and now all eyes are on this big game. Punjab Kings (PBKS) host the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a rematch of last year’s IPL final. In 2025, the Rajat Patidar-led RCB had beaten PBKS by just six runs to clinch their maiden IPL crown. Cut to 2026, and the situation is completely different. RCB, now the defending champions, stand just one win away from making it to the playoffs. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, have had an untimely slump and now need to win both their remaining matches to make it to the last four. PBKS vs RCB, match details Match: Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, match 61 Venue: HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala Date: 17 May, 2026 Time: 3:30 PM IST, toss at 3:00 PM IST Where to watch: Star Sports network (Telecasting), JioHotstar (Streaming) Where to follow: Follow live updates from the match on the Bhaskar English app. PBKS vs RCB head-to-head record Punjab and Bengaluru have met 37 times in the past. RCB hold a slight 19-18 edge in wins. RCB’s highest score against PBKS is 241, while PBKS have posted a top total of 232. This clash will be important in terms of the playoff qualification race. Prabhsimran, Arshdeep look to contribute to Punjab’s winning cause Prabhsimran Singh is the leading run-scorer for PBKS. The Punjab opener has scored 439 runs in 12 games with a strike rate of 170.15, with an individual best of 80* in this season. Pacer Arshdeep Singh has taken 13 wickets with an expensive economy of 9.69 in 12 matches played. His best figures of this season are 3/22.
‘Good news for Punjab, entire team is fit’: Andrew Leipus, Physio Good news has come from the Punjab camp ahead of their match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on May 17 in IPL 2026 at Dharamshala. On the eve of the match, Punjab Kings’ physiotherapy consultant Andrew Leipus spoke to the media. He openly discussed the players’ fitness, the team’s recent performance, and Dharamshala’s unique atmosphere. Leipus clarified that the team will take the field without any additional pressure and aggressive play will be seen in the match. While talking about the continuous changes made in the Punjab team in the last few matches, Andrew Leipus clarified the situation. He explained that during the previous matches, some players had faced viral fever, minor injuries, and hamstring problems. Due to this, changes had to be made in the playing eleven as a precautionary measure. But now the relief for Punjab fans is that all players have fully recovered and will be available for selection for the upcoming match. Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar aim to seal playoff berth ‘King’ Virat Kohli is the leading run-scorer for RCB in this season so far. He has scored 484 runs in 12 matches, with a strike rate of 165.75. On the other hand, the ‘King of swing’, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, has taken 22 wickets and conceded runs with an economy of 7.55, with an individual best figure of 4/23 against the Mumbai Indians. Bhuvneshwar dismissed Shreyas three times The ‘King of swing’, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, has dominated Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer in the tournament history. Bhuvi has dismissed Shreyas three times in the past and conceded runs with a cheap economy of 5.40. Meanwhile, Shreyas has scored 45 runs, facing 50 balls with a strike rate of 90. Balanced battle between Virat Kohli and Yuzvendra Chahal ‘King’ Kohli has scored 63 runs, facing 47 balls in 6 innings with a strike rate of 134.04. While Yuzvendra Chahal could only deceive him once in the tournament history. He has conceded runs with an economy of 8.04 against Virat. HPCA Stadium, pitch report The venue is well known for producing high-scoring battles. The hard black-soil surface provides a consistent pace and bounce, allowing batters to play attacking shots freely. Dharamsala’s high altitude further favours stroke-makers, as the thinner air helps the ball travel quicker and farther, often resulting in plenty of boundaries and towering sixes. Dharamshala weather report 15% cloud cover is expected in Dharamshala on Sunday afternoon, with no chance of rain. According to Accuweather, the humidity will be 27%, and the temperature will hover around 26°C during the match.