PBKS vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Today Match, Dream11 Team Today, Fantasy Cricket Tips, Playing XI, Pitch Report, Injury Update- IPL 2026, Match 61

Table of Contents

Punjab Kings will square off with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the sixty-first match of IPL 2026 at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala, on 17^th May at 3:30 PM IST.

Get the best PBKS vs RCB Dream11 prediction, fantasy cricket tips, probable playing XI, and match insights for the 61^st match of the IPL 2026. Expert analysis and more.

Also Read: BCCI plans special workload management for Jasprit Bumrah ahead of busy season

Hot Picks for PBKS vs RCB Dream11 Prediction and Fantasy Cricket Tips:

Captaincy Picks:

Prabhsimran Singh – Punjab Kings batter scored 439 runs across 12 appearances, maintaining an average of 43.90 and strike rate of 170.16.

Virat Kohli – Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener accumulated 484 runs in 12 matches, averaging 53.78 with an impressive strike rate of 165.76.

Top Picks:

Budget Picks:

PBKS vs RCB IPL 2026 Captain and Vice-captain Choices:

PBKS vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Team 1:

• Keepers – Prabhsimran Singh
• Batsmen – Virat Kohli ©, Shreyas Iyer (vc), Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal, Priyansh Arya
• All-rounders – Krunal Pandya, Azmatullah Omarzai, Cooper Connolly
• Bowlers – Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood

PBKS vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Team 2:

• Keepers – Prabhsimran Singh ©
• Batsmen – Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rajat Patidar (vc), Priyansh Arya, Jacob Bethell
• All-rounders – Krunal Pandya, Azmatullah Omarzai, Cooper Connolly
• Bowlers – Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh

PBKS vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Today Match 61 IPL 2026 Players to Avoid:

PBKS vs RCB Dream11 Prediction Today Match 61 IPL 2026 Expert Advice:

PBKS vs RCB Match Preview:

Punjab Kings will face defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the sixty-first match of IPL 2026 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on Sunday, May 17, 2026. The afternoon encounter will begin at 3:30 PM IST and promises to play a crucial role in shaping the playoff race. Moreover, both teams enter this contest with contrasting momentum as Royal Challengers Bengaluru continue their dominant run, while Punjab Kings search for a much-needed turnaround.

Historically, the rivalry between these franchises has remained extremely close and competitive. Royal Challengers Bengaluru currently holds a slight edge with nineteen wins, whereas Punjab Kings have registered eighteen victories in their thirty-seven meetings. Furthermore, their most recent major clash came during the IPL 2025 final, where Bengaluru defeated Punjab to lift the championship trophy.

Bengaluru now sits comfortably at the top of the table with sixteen points from twelve matches and enters this game after a commanding win against Kolkata Knight Riders. In that fixture, Virat Kohli delivered a magnificent century, while captain Rajat Patidar continued to guide the side effectively toward a potential top-two finish.

On the other hand, Punjab Kings desperately needs a victory after suffering five consecutive defeats despite an outstanding start to the season. Shreyas Iyer’s side still occupies fourth place with thirteen points, but another loss could place serious pressure on its playoff hopes. Although the batting lineup has consistently produced big totals, the bowling attack must improve significantly to stop the current slide.

Meanwhile, the Dharamsala surface traditionally favors stroke play because of the high altitude and quick outfield, which often lead to high-scoring contests. Since this is a daytime match, dew is unlikely to influence conditions heavily, and therefore spinners could receive some assistance during the middle overs. Consequently, fans can expect an entertaining clash between Punjab’s desperation and Bengaluru’s confidence.

PBKS vs RCB Head-to-Head Record:

PBKS vs RCB Weather & Pitch Report:

Record of chasing teams:

PBKS vs RCB Playing 11s (Predicted):

Punjab Kings Playing 11:

1) Priyansh Arya

2) Cooper Connolly

3) Shreyas Iyer ©

4) Marcus Stoinis

5) Suryansh Shedge

6) Azmatullah Omarzai

7) Marco Jansen

8) Xavier Bartlett

9) Arshdeep Singh

10) Yuzvendra Chahal

11) Vijaykumar Vyshak

12) Prabhsimran Singh

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Playing 11:

1) Virat Kohli

2) Jacob Bethell

3) Devdutt Padikkal

4) Rajat Patidar ©

5) Tim David

6) Jitesh Sharma (wk)

7) Venkatesh Iyer

8) Krunal Pandya

9) Bhuvneshwar Kumar

10) Josh Hazlewood

11) Rasikh Salam Dar

12) Suyash Sharma

PBKS vs RCB Match Winner Prediction:

Looking at the recent form, Royal Challengers Bengaluru is expected to win this match.