On May 17th, 2026 at 15:30 IST the RCB vs PBKS match in IPL 2026 will take place in Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium located in Dharamsala, India. With both teams looking for much-needed points, the fans should be treated to some exciting cricket and hopefully plenty of power hitting and fast-paced bowling.
RCB vs PBKS Match Information
Match: Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Match 61
Date: May 17, 2026
Time: 3:30 PM IST
Ground: HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
Streaming: Jio Hotstar App &
Broadcasting: Star Sports & Jio-Star Television Network
Head-to-Head Performance of RCB vs PBKS
Matches Won
Punjab Kings: 18
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 19
With only a one-match difference, the RCB vs PBKS contest remains one of the closest rivalries in the league.
RCB vs PBKS Weather Report
The weather conditions in Dharamsala are expected to remain favorable for cricket.
- Temperature: Around 24°C
- Weather: The skies are expected to remain partly cloudy during the game.
- Rain Chances: Minimal chances of rain interruption, ensuring a full match is likely.
The cool weather and mountain conditions could assist swing bowlers early in the innings.
RCB vs PBKS Pitch Report
The HPCA Stadium pitch at Dharamsala is usually considered a batsman’s paradise, although the pacers will get some help from bounce and turn.
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- First innings average score: 185 runs
- Fast bowlers expected to rule over initial overs
- Players can start scoring easily after getting into rhythm
- Teams batting second have performed better
Winning Percentage of Teams Chasing: 60%
The toss could play a key role, with captains likely to choose bowling first.
RCB vs PBKS Predicted Playing XI
Punjab Kings Predicted XI
Priyansh Arya
Cooper Connolly
Shreyas Iyer (C)
Marcus Stoinis
Suryansh Shedge
Azmatullah Omarzai
Marco Jansen
Xavier Bartlett
Arshdeep Singh
Yuzvendra Chahal
Vijaykumar Vyshak
Impact Player: Prabhsimran Singh
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Predicted XI
Virat Kohli
Jacob Bethell
Devdutt Padikkal
Rajat Patidar (C)
Tim David
Jitesh Sharma (WK)
Venkatesh Iyer
Krunal Pandya
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Josh Hazlewood
Rasikh Salam Dar
Impact Player: Suyash Sharma
Players to Watch in RCB vs PBKS
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is still RCB’s best match winner. The reason behind this is that he can hold one end while scoring at a high strike rate.
Josh Hazlewood
The fast bowler from Australia is likely to benefit from the fast-paced surface at Dharamsala.
Marcus Stoinis
The batter from Australia brings the right balance into the side of Punjab Kings.
RCB vs PBKS Match Prediction
Each side has got potent batting lineups and good pace bowlers but it looks like Royal Challengers Bengaluru have the upper hand with their form and overall strength.
The experienced combination consisting of Kohli, Hazlewood, and Patidar provides an advantage for RCB when under pressure.
Prediction for Today’s Match: Royal Challengers Bengaluru will beat PBKS in the RCB vs PBKS IPL 2026 Match 61.
ALSO READ: KKR vs GT, IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders Crush Gujarat Titans By 29 Runs
