IPL 2026: RCB becomes the first team to reach the playoffs, Punjab Kings’ sixth consecutive defeat

New Delhi: On Sunday (May 17), Punjab Kings (PBKS) faced Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match number-61 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. In this match held at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala, Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Punjab Kings by 23 runs. Royal Challengers Bangalore had given Punjab Kings a target of 223 runs to win, but they could only score 199 runs for 8 wickets. With this victory, Royal Challengers Bangalore reached the playoffs.

There has been consistency in the performance of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the current IPL season. Royal Challengers Bangalore has won 9 out of 13 matches and has 18 points. On the other hand, Punjab Kings have played 13 matches and won 6. Punjab Kings have 13 points. Punjab Kings have lost six consecutive matches and it is now very difficult for them to reach the playoffs.

Punjab Kings had a very bad start in the run chase and lost 3 wickets till the score of 19 runs. Openers Priyansh Arya (0 runs) and Prabhsimran Singh (2 runs) were dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Captain Shreyas Iyer (1 run) was sent to the pavilion by Rasik Salam Dar. Cooper Connolly and Suryansh Shedge managed the innings by adding 43 runs for the fourth wicket. Romario Shepherd broke this partnership by dismissing Connolly. Connolly contributed 37 runs in 22 balls with the help of three sixes and three fours.

After this, Punjab Kings lost the wicket of Suryansh Shedge, who got caught in the spin of spinner Suyyash Sharma. Shedge scored 35 runs facing 22 balls, which included 2 sixes and 2 sixes. From here Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh took the innings of Punjab Kings forward. There was a partnership of 67 runs between the two for the sixth wicket. Stoinis became the victim of Josh Hazlewood on a personal score of 37 runs. Shashank Singh definitely scored a half-century, but it was not enough to win. Shashank scored 56 runs on 27 balls with the help of 4 sixes and 4 fours. For RCB, Rasik Salam Dar took the maximum of three wickets.

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s batting was like this

Royal Challengers Bangalore, after losing the toss and batting first, scored 222 runs for four wickets. The start of Royal Challengers Bangalore was nothing special. Jacob Bethel became the victim of Harpreet Brar on a personal score of 11 runs. After this, Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal together added 76 runs for the second wicket. Devdutt scored 45 runs on 25 balls, which included 4 fours and three sixes. Brar also took the wicket of Devdutt. At the time of Devdutt’s dismissal, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s score was 97/2.

Virat Kohli batted brilliantly and scored the 67th half-century of his IPL career. Kohli faced 37 balls and scored 58 runs, which included 4 fours and three sixes. Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal trapped Kohli in his spin. From here Venkatesh Iyer and Tim David made a partnership of 65 runs for the fourth wicket and took RCB to the big score.

Venkatesh Iyer played an unbeaten inning of 73 runs on 40 balls with the help of 8 fours and 4 sixes. Whereas David contributed 28 runs on 12 balls with the help of 2 sixes and two fours. David was out on the last ball of the innings. Harpreet Brar took two wickets for Punjab Kings. While Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal got one wicket each.

So far 38 matches have been played between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League. During this period, Punjab Kings won 18 matches. Whereas Royal Challengers Bangalore got victory in 20 matches. Last season, 4 matches including the final were played between the two teams, in which Royal Challengers Bangalore won three matches.

punjab vs bengaluru h2h

Total IPL matches: 38
Punjab won: 18
Bengaluru won: 20

Playing-11 of Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Impact Sub: Marcus Stoinis.

Playing-11 of Royal Challengers Bangalore: Jacob Bethel, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Venkatesh Iyer, Jitesh Sharma (captain/wicketkeeper), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Suyyash Sharma.
Impact Sub: Rasik Salaam Dar.