Match 61 of the 2026 Indian Premier League season brings us a crucial encounter in the top four race as an out of sorts Punjab Kings outfit welcome table toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala.
Having registered six consecutive victories on the bounce to start off their 2026 campaign, the all-important month of May has turned into a nightmare for the Punjab Kings – losing five on the trot, their worst run since 2020. Now, with just two games remaining in the league phase, the pressure is on Shreyas Iyer and his boys to deliver if they want to repeat or even better last season’s heroics.
While bowling and outfield catching have been their primary concerns all throughout the season, recent fixtures have seen their batting innings collapse in sudden bursts – leaving the lower order and their toothless bowling attack to do the rescue act.
Although the top four comprising Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Cooper Connolly and Shreyas Iyer have done the bulk of the scoring, the lack of output from the rest of the batters is becoming apparent with these losses piling up one after the other.
In their recent defeat against the Mumbai Indians, apart from Prabhsimran Singh and Azmatullah Omarzai and a couple of brief cameos by impact sub Vishnu Vinod and Xavier Bartlett, every other PBKS batter struggled to get going in Dharamshala. Besides, both their defeats in Dharamshala this season have similar characteristics.
In the bowling department, the lack of a sixth option meant they couldn’t turn to anyone else when both Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett were getting taken to the cleaners. Moreover, Shreyas Iyer – the captain – has also made some strange calls in recent weeks. Thus, it’d be ideal if they can iron out some of their recent mistakes ahead of what will be two of the biggest games for their season.
As for their opponents, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru have regained form just at the right time, as a win against PBKS would guarantee playoff progression for the defending champions.
Having lost two games away from home, the transition from their home base in Bengaluru to Raipur has been a smooth one with back-to-back wins against the Mumbai Indians and the Kolkata Knight Riders – taking them to the top of the points table with a very healthy net-run-rate.
While Krunal Pandya led the charge against the Mumbai Indians, it was Virat Kohli’s 9th IPL ton that helped RCB secure a comfortable 8th win this season. Jacob Bethell once again failed to impress with his batting while Venkatesh Iyer got a surprise game in place of Romario Shepherd, however, the southpaw didn’t get a chance to show his batting prowess.
While their bowling attack has done wonderfully this season – especially Bhuvneshwar Kumar who has turned back the clock. However, the recent win against KKR saw both Josh Hazlewood and Jacob Duffy operate in tandem for the first time. Although the Kiwi went for a few runs, with the playoffs coming in, this is an avenue that every RCB fans would want to explore more.
In terms of weather forecast and pitch report, we expect clear skies with zero rain in Dharamshala. The wickets here at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala does offer something for fast bowlers. The ball moves here, and it can create doubts among the batsmen. However, stroke players have done well because the ground is smaller. Spinners must bowl tight lines, as the ball doesn’t turn here as much as on other tracks in the country.
That said, the side batting first has a clear advantage on this track. The team that batted first has won six times in the last nine games. That said, the Punjab Kings have failed to defend 200+ scores on both instances this season.
Looking ahead to this crucial top-4 race fixture, the Punjab Kings are in a desperate need for a win, with their entire season hinging on these last couple of games. RCB on the other hand are again purring and looking ominous form ahead of the playoffs. Thus, considering both current form and the psychological aspect, we’re backing the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to win this contest.
Fantasy XI: Prabhsimran Singh, Virat Kohli, Priyansh Arya, Devdutt Padikkal (c), Shreyas Iyer (vc), Rajat Patidar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Venue: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala
Winners Prediction: Royal Challengers Bengaluru
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