Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Match 61 Commentary, Live Updates

OUT! c Priyansh Arya b Yuzvendra Chahal.

1 run.

SIX! A loosener and it gets the treatment!

Swing and a miss! Dishes out a flat googly, on a length, outside off. Venkatesh Iyer tries to spank it through covers, but misses out.

SIX! Fine hit! A juicy half volley from Chahal, on leg. Venkatesh Iyer picks the googly well, clears the front leg and blasts it high and handsome over deep mid-wicket for a big six. This brings up the 50-run partnership between this pair.

Very full, on off, Kohli drills it to long on for a single.

Yuzvendra Chahal returns to the attack. 2-0-28-0 so far for the leggie.

In the air... but lands safely enough! Tossed up, outside off, on a fuller length. Virat Kohli makes room by moving leg side of the ball. Comes forward and chips it over mid on off the toe end. Luckily for him, the ball lands well in front of Cooper Connolly, who charges in off the ropes. One taken.

Not that short, outside off, Venkatesh slaps it to deep point for a single.

Full, around off, gorgeously driven off the front foot to long off for a single.

Slips out a knee high full toss, on the pads. Venkatesh Iyer whips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Not quite timed well, but still goes through! Overpitched by Brar, on the stumps. Iyer brings his wrists into play and flicks it over mid-wicket for a boundary. The ball just yorks the boundary cushions and trips over.

FOUR! PUNISHED! On a fuller length, on off. Venkatesh Iyer dances down the track, gets to the pitch of the ball and hammers it over the bowler for a boundary, to the right of long on.

Harpreet Brar (3-0-23-2) is back for his final over.

FOUR! Finds the gap once again! Slower bouncer by Ferguson, on top of middle. Virat Kohli waits back and nails the pull shot, along the ground and bisects the deep square leg and deep mid-wicket fielders perfectly to find the fence.

Shortens the length, on leg, Venkatesh Iyer pulls it to the right of deep square leg for an easy run.

Slams the deck hard, angling in on middle and leg. Virat Kohli stays parked in the crease, plays off the back foot and steers it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Fuller in length, around leg. Whipped away to deep square leg for a single.

FOUR! Misfield! Arshdeep Singh has made a complete mess of that and the fielding woes continue for PBKS. Way too full, around off. Venkatesh Iyer drills it away to mid off, but Arshdeep Singh gets down on his knee, and lets it through to the fence.

Full, pitched outside leg, Iyer tries to whip that off the pads, but misses and is slammed on the front pad.

A change in bowling as Lockie Ferguson is back. He went for 13 runs in his opening over.

Slower bumper, wide outside off. Venkatesh Iyer hops on the toes to cut it over point, but fails to connect. It goes over his head and Prabhsimran Singh fails to stop it in one attempt. The ball parries to his left and they cross for a bye.

FIFTY FOR VIRAT KOHLI! His fourth half century this season to go with a century. Overall, this is his 67th IPL fifty as well. He gets there in just 31 balls. On a good length, outside off, Kohli reaches out in front and works it to the long off region for a single. On a slowish track, he has gone about his business with absolute ease and is looking unbothered.

Full and wide, dipping on the batter, just inside the tramline. Venkatesh Iyer frees his arms and carves it down to long off for a single.

Short and slow, on off, Kohli gets on top of the bounce and swats it along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Full and wide outside off, Kohli carves it to deep extra cover. Priyansh Arya runs to his right and cuts it off just before the ropes. Two taken and Kohli moves to 48 with that brace.

SIX! Geez, that's a surreal stroke! Fractionally fuller, on middle and leg. Virat Kohli plays the pick-up shot using his wrists, and despite a protection in the deep backward square leg region, he takes him on, clearing the fence for a six.

FOUR! Puts it away this time. Chahal has a wry smile, with hands on his waist. Touch fuller and outside off. Venkatesh Iyer switches the stance and reverse sweeps it over cover-point for a boundary.

Wide outside off, on a fuller length, a tad slower at 88.7 kph. Venkatesh Iyer premeditates to play the reverse sweep, but misses. It is called a fair delivery and Iyer looks a bit perplexed.

Short, on off, Kohli camps deep in the crease and pulls it to the right of long on for a single.

Fuller in length, on middle, Venkatesh chips it over Chahal for a single.

Well bowled! Pushed fuller with a googly. Venkatesh Iyer shimmies down the track and tries to push it away, but the ball zips past his outside edge and raps on the thigh pad. It rolls back to the bowler.

Dropped short, on middle. Kohli heaves it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for an easy run.

Halfway through the first innings. This has been a nice little phase for the Punjab Kings. They have conceded just 19 runs in the last 3 overs and have picked up Padikkal's wicket as well. Yuzvendra Chahal (1-0-21-0) is back on, replacing Azmatullah Omarzai.

Nice and tight, on a good length. Venkatesh steers it late, almost off the keeper's gloves but he can't get it past short third. Just 4 runs and a wicket from the over.

Angled away again, on the shorter side. Iyer punches it to cover.

Fuller than the previous ball, on off. Venkatesh rocks back and cuts it past backward point for a couple of runs.

A bit short, on middle. Virat pulls it towards wide long on for one.

Full and on off, this is driven down the ground to mid off for a single by Venkatesh to open his account.

Important breakthrough for PBKS and it is Brar again who strikes gold. Venkatesh Iyer is the new batter in at number 4.

OUT! CAUGHT! Harpreet Brar strikes on his return to the attack. He is charged up as he lets out a big roar. From around the wicket, pushed across off, on a nagging length. Padikkal presses back to force it away on the off side. He is early into the stroke and spoons it straight to extra cover, where Shreyas Iyer makes no mistake and gobbles it up around his waist. The 76-run stand comes to an end.

So just one over for Shashank. He is replaced by Harpreet Brar (2-0-19-1).

A tidy over from Omarzai. Just 6 runs off it. Slower, short ball, on off. Kohli gets his hands high to steer it past short third but misses. Prabhsimran Singh had a shy at the batting end, thinking Virat was out of the crease but he did manage to hit the stumps.

Honing in on top of off, on a back of a length. Kohli dabs it straight to Harpreet Brar at backward point. Virat teases Brar by staying out of the crease after playing the shot but the latter resists the temptation and does not have a shy.

FOUR! Gets it away! This is on a nagging length, on middle. Kohli stays back in the crease and rolls his wrists over the ball to keep it along the ground. He swats it behind square leg and beats the fielder in the deep to his right.

At the sticks, on a good length. Padikkal tucks it with soft hands in the vacant mid-wicket region and calls for two straight away but the fielder in the deep is quick to get to the ball and keeps the batters down to one.

From around the wicket, Omarzai goes into the surface, outside off. Padikkal walks across for the pull but gets a bottom edge and the ball dribbles behind to the keeper.

Lands it on a good length, outside off. Kohli hits it on the rise to long off. Just a single.

Will Chahal continue? Nope. Azmatullah Omarzai (1-0-13-0) returns into the attack.

Good change-up by Shashank. Pace taken off and dug in short, on off. Padikkal thinks about going after it but then lets it go. The ball bounces in front of the keeper, Prabhsimran Singh, but he manages to get his body behind the ball. The ball deflects off his pads to short third.

FOUR! Excellent use of the angle. A bit too short and width offered by Shashank. Padikkal cashes in as he plays it late to pick the gap and glides it with an open bat face between short third and backward point for a four.

Drags the length back, going away. Padikkal makes use of the angle and cuts it to the right of deep point for a couple of runs.

Keeps the stumps in play, fuller in length. Kohli checks his drive and it goes uppishly but through the vacant mid on region for one.

Across off, on a back of a length. DDP pulls it through square leg and gets to the other end.

Slanting into the right-hander, on a good length. Kohli works it to long on for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK​​​​​​! PBKS are under the pump as RCB are literally motoring away right now. And that extra ball made an already costly over even more expensive for Chahal. Kohli and Padikkal have already added 61 runs together in a super-quick time and are looking unstoppable with the way they are going about their business. It is Padikkal who has taken the aggressive route, but Kohli hasn't spared the looseners either. The Kings will be desperate to break this partnership and slow things down a bit. And okay, a surprising call from Shreyas. Shashank Singh is into the attack after the break. Can he be the golden arm PBKS need? We will find out.

SIX! Devdutt Padikkal takes full toll. Chahal stays over the wicket and tries to fire it in, full and on leg. Padikkal is able to get under the ball. He clears the front leg and pumps it over long on for half a dozen. Punjab's ace spinner goes for 21 runs in his first over.

NO BALL! Floated up, full and on off. Kohli extends his hands and creams the drive to wide long off for a single. Oh, the siren has gone off. A cardinal sin for a spinner to overstep. This is the 4th No Ball of the season for Chahal, according to Danny Morrison on air. Free Hit coming up.

FOUR! In the gap! The 50-run stand comes up. Fractionally short, on off. A bit slower through the air and it grips a bit in the surface. Kohli goes on the back foot and pulls it to the right of long on for a boundary.

Drops it short at 90.2 kph, on middle and leg. DDP wrists it to deep mid-wicket for one more.

Drifting in at the pads, very full. Kohli knocks it to long on and rotates the strike.

Shorter and flatter, on off. Padikkal cuts it to backward point, where a misfield allows a single.

SIX! Chahal is welcomed with a biggie. Begins with a flighted delivery, full and on middle. Padikkal dances down the track in a flash and gets to the pitch of the ball. He holds his shape and launches it over the sight screen.

That's the end of the Powerplay. RCB, despite losing Bethell, have steadied nicely through Kohli and Padikkal. The pitch looks really good to bat on, just with the odd one staying touch low. And it's Yuzvendra Chahal's time to roll his arm over now.

On the shorter side, on middle. Padikkal shovels it square on the leg side and retains the strike with a single. A 12-run over to end the Powerplay. After 6 overs, RCB are 61/1.

FOUR! Nicely done! Not much wrong with the ball, if anything, a bit wide. Bowled on a good length, just outside the off stump. Padikkal waits on the back foot and cuts it late to thread the gap between short third and backward point.

Bangs it in short, over off. Virat swivels and climbs onto the pull. Hits it all along the ground towards deep square leg, where Suryansh Shedge is swift to his left and tidies up. Just a single.

Hits the back of a length, on off. It keeps a bit low and DDP pulls it through square leg for a run.

Around off, on a good length, Kohli taps it to the right of mid off and crosses over.

FOUR! Just wide! Full and going across off, Kohli brings his wrists into play to whip it away. The bat turns in his hand and it goes off the inner half of the bat. Cooper Connolly at mid-wicket moves to his right and flings himself towards the ball whilst stretching his right hand out, but the ball evades him. The 50 comes up for RCB.

Arshdeep Singh is back with a change of ends.

Fuller and on the off stump, Virat Kohli lunges ahead and drives it neatly through mid off for an easy run.

Drags the length back, on leg. Devdutt Padikkal whips it by getting deep in the crease to deep square leg's right for a single.

Too full, in front of the sticks, Kohli clips it along the ground through mid-wicket. Lockie Ferguson from mid on gets to his right and stops it. One taken.

Pitched short and drifting on middle and leg. Devdutt pulls off the back foot to deep square leg for a run.

Much better. A lot straighter on middle, full in length. Padikkal opts to defend off the back foot right under his blade.

WIDE! Fired way down leg, on a fuller length. Devdutt sits down to sweep, but misses.

FOUR! My word, that's so nicely placed! Just slightly short on middle. Devdutt Padikkal backs away to make room for himself and cuts it between the backward point and cover-point fielders for a boundary.

Length-delivery, outside the off stump. Virat rides the bounce, prepares to play the back foot punch through the gap, but hits it off the inner half and it rolls straight to the cover fielder. 13 runs from Lockie's first over, then.

Rising up from a length, on leg, Padikkal tucks it into the leg side with soft hands for a run.

Nearly dragged on! Spears one on a length, slanted across off. Padikkal tries to slap it through the covers but gets an inside edge onto the pads before the ball rolls on the strip. The replay shows that Virat charged forward but slipped. He was quick to get back up and retreat.

FOUR! Pure timing! Hits the deck hard, does Lockie. On the pads, too straight and Devdutt Padikkal whips it off the back foot to deep backward square leg for a boundary.

WIDE! Misses the radar a bit. Short of a length, but down leg. Devdutt Padikkal gets inside the line but misses to whip that away. Wide called.

Had to hurry! Serves it up there, full and wide on off. Virat Kohli looks to drive it straight down the ground, but the nips back in off the pitch and rolls off the inner half of the bat to mid on. Kohli and Padikkal are both alert enough to pinch in a single. Kohli brings up 500 runs for the season.

SIX! Nonchalantly played by Kohli! Ferguson starts with a full delivery, on middle. Virat Kohli uses his wrists, gets under the ball and effortlessly flicks it for a 72-meter six behind deep mid-wicket.

Will Azmatullah Omarzai continue? The answer is no. Lockie Ferguson replaces him.

BEATEN! Absolutely outfoxed him. Quicker through the air, and not too short, outside off. It lands, skids through and hurries Devdutt on the back foot. Padikkal hangs his bat away from the body and is beaten all ends up.

Touch short, outside off, DDP pushes it off the back foot to cover-point.

Short and on off, that is punched off the back foot, but straight to cover.

SIX! Well, that's some way to get the first runs. Dropped into the slot, around off. Devdutt Padikkal taps the front foot to the leg side of the ball with a decent stride and tonks it over wide long off for a six.

One left-hander replaces the other. Here is Devdutt Padikkal.

OUT! CHOPPED ON! Another low score for Bethell. A big roar from Brar, and he also gives a bit of a send-off to Jacob. Harpreet switches to over the stumps and lands it outside off, on a slightly shorter length. It grips and spins back in. Jacob Bethell goes deep inside the crease to play the late cut, but gets a thick inside edge back onto the stumps behind. He throws his head back in disappointment as he walks back. RCB are 21/1 after 2.2 overs.

FOUR! Through the gap! A bit of width on offer, on a shorter length. Jacob Bethell backs away to make room and cuts it precisely between the narrow gap at cover-point and backward point for a boundary.

Just one over then for Arshdeep Singh in his opening spell. An early look at spin as Harpreet Brar comes on.

Nagging length, closer to the off pole, at 123.2 kph. Bethell chops it to short third for a single.

Just short! Fuller ball from Omarzai, angled in at the stumps. Jacob Bethell does not quite get to the pitch of the ball and looks to loft it down the ground, but plays off the inner half of the bat. Chips it towards mid on and the ball dips on Arshdeep Singh, who dives forward, but his fingers get yorked by the ball.

FOUR! Streaky, but runs are runs! From around the stump. Pitched around off, on a good length and stays quiet low on bounce. Jacob Bethell's feet go nowhere and tries to punch it away from the crease, but gets a thick inside edge as the ball rolls past the stumps and races away to the deep fine leg fence.

Hard length, around off, Kohli hangs back and dabs it to the short third region and hustles for a single.

WIDE! Oh, dear! That's a big wide. Far outside off, shaping outside the tramline. Might have slipped out of Azmat's hand. Virat leaves.

SIX! Picture perfect, just like the snowcapped mountains! Full in length, swinging away, wide outside off. Virat Kohli gets on the front foot, hits it through the line and launches it over the cover region. Despite his bat turning at the point of contact, it has enough wheels to clear the deep cover fence.

Beaten! Shapes away from a good length, at 137.2 kph, outside off. Virat Kohli goes fishing at it, trying to loft it down the ground, but the ball leaves him and zips past the outside edge.

Azmatullah Omarzai will operate from the other end. Not a lot of swing for Arshdeep Singh in the first over, but can Omarzai find some movement?

Very tidy from Arshdeep! Slams the deck hard, on middle and leg. Kohli plays off the back foot and wrists it to the right of the mid-wicket fielder for an easy single. Just 4 runs from the opening over.

Pushed on the pads, fuller in length. Jacob steers it to the square leg region. The mid-wicket fielder rushes to his left to mop it up at the edge of the circle. One taken.

Short of a length, nipping back in slightly at 137.9 kph. Virat Kohli shapes up to pull, but gets an inside edge on the thigh pad. The ball deflects away to cover-point and they cross over. Kohli opens his account.

Back of a length, stump-to-stump from Arshdeep. Virat Kohli watchfully bunts it down the pitch.

Just a bit of extra bounce, short and across off. Virat Kohli plays with soft hands by hanging back and guides it on the bounce to the short third fielder.

RCB and Bethell are underway! Nice and gentle away shape from off, on a length. Jacob Bethell presses in front and dabs it to the backward point region for a single to get off the mark.

We are all set to get going. As always, the ground is looking an absolute picture, even more so in the daytime with the hills providing a stunning backdrop. Shreyas Iyer leads his troops out onto the park in his 100th game as an IPL captain. It will be the left-hand, right-hand combination of Jacob Bethell and Virat Kohli to open the innings for RCB. Arshdeep Singh will kick things off with the new ball. Arshdeep to Bethell. A slip in place. Here we go!

Impact sub options for RCB - Rasikh Salam, Jordan Cox, Abhinandan Singh, Swapnil Singh and Kanishk Chouhan.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Venkatesh Iyer, Jitesh Sharma (C/WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd (In for Jacob Duffy), Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma (In for Rajat Patidar) and Josh Hazlewood.

Impact sub options for PBKS - Marcus Stoinis, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan and Praveen Dubey.

Punjab Kings (Playing XI) - Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (C), Cooper Connolly, Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar (In for Marco Jansen), Lockie Ferguson (In for Xavier Bartlett), Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal.

The captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Jitesh Sharma says that RCB would have bowled first as well, adding that he does not expect the wicket to change much through the course of the game. He also mentions that Rajat Patidar is doing fantastic and hopes that he returns for the next game in Hyderabad. Sharma mentions that every game is important at this stage of the tournament and that this win could change a lot, both for RCB and the other teams in the race. He also confirms two changes to the side, with Suyash Sharma replacing Rajat Patidar and Romario Shepherd coming in for Jacob Duffy.

The captain of the Punjab Kings - Shreyas Iyer, when asked whether bowling first is an advantage, given that it is an afternoon game, stresses believing in their skills, and it doesn't matter whether they are bowling or batting first. When asked how special it is to be leading an IPL team for the 100th time, Shreyas admits that he really didn't know about this stat. He adds it is all about execution, that they have been bowling fantastically, and that in pressure moments, you have to execute. He says you cannot change the past, and you have to stay in the moment and embrace it. On the team changes, he informs that Harpreet Brar and Lockie Ferguson come into the side for this match.

TOSS - Right, Jitesh Sharma has walked out for the coin flip for RCB. Shreyas Iyer is also present in the middle, in his 100th game as a captain in the IPL. 'Tails' is the call from Jitesh, but it has come down as a Head. Punjab Kings opt to BOWL first.

Arshdeep Singh is up next - Arshdeep says that his body is feeling good and that it is nice to play in this weather, with conditions not being hot in the hills. He adds that the bowlers are also getting some help from the wickets here. According to him, the ideal lengths on this surface are to hit the hard length, play around with the seam and try to extract some purchase off the pitch till at least the 15th or 16th over before going into the death-bowling variations. When asked about the chatter in the camp ahead of the rematch of last year’s final, Arshdeep says that what is gone is gone and that the team is now focused on what they can do in the present. Arshdeep opines that both as a team and as individuals, the key is to adapt quickly to the conditions and the demands of an afternoon game, and that the sides which adjust better more often usually come out on top.

Words from the RCB camp - On being asked whether this has been his best IPL season with the bat, Tim David is hesitant to commit to that and says he always looks forward to going out and batting. He adds that he feels he has been batting really well this season and just wants to keep putting in better performances for the team. He shares that he has been hitting the ball really well in training and is hopeful that whenever he gets the chance to bat, he can do whatever the team needs. On Virat Kohli's hundred after two back-to-back ducks, he says Kohli does not change, and you would not have known he had two ducks unless you had been watching. He adds it was great for Kohli to score a hundred, and it was great for the fans to see the match-winning performance, something they have had from so many players in the team this season. He again hopes it is Kohli again or someone else stepping up, but they are feeling pretty good. When asked about the qualities that make them complement each other so well, David says they have some really classy players at the top who play good cricketing shots. Details that they give the lower order the confidence to play aggressively and express themselves with the depth they have. He further adds that they certainly have guys who do not get as much batting as they would want, simply because they are watching the top order put on a clinic. Ends by stressing that it all comes down to decision-making, staying calm, and making the right choices at the right moments, and that when they get the chance to accelerate, they try to do that to the best of their ability.

PITCH REPORT - Danny Morrison is pitchside and firstly informs that there was a bit of overnight rain, but says that it hasn't affected the curators and the preparation for this pitch, which was also used in the PBKS vs DC game earlier in the week. About the dimensions, he points to a slight bias on the square boundaries with the straight hit being 70-odd meters. Morrison then invites Michael Clarke, calling him the 'pitch doctor' for his assessment of the conditions. Clarke looks at the pitch and straightaway calls it a beautiful strip and credits the pitch curators as well. Closely observes that there is a lot more grass. From a bowling standpoint, he expects the quicks to mix up their seam, possibly going cross-seam to find natural variation off the surface. Clarke hopes that there is something for the spinners, but is quick to mention that one would love to be a batter on this kind of surface. Morrison closes out by reckoning that since it is a day game with the sun out, spinners might come into play as well.

No Rajat Patidar today? Rumours are doing the rounds that the RCB skipper has not travelled to Dharamsala. Jitesh Sharma is expected to lead the defending champions in this game. We should have confirmation on that very soon.

From promise to panic - Punjab Kings are in a hole, and the shovel keeps getting heavier. Five straight losses have drained the optimism from a season that started with such promise. But if there's one flicker of light, it's Prabhsimran Singh. The young opener has smashed 439 runs this season with five fifties and a strike rate of 170. At Dharamsala, he has 226 runs in 7 innings, the third-most by any batter in the IPL at this venue. Against pace, he averages a ridiculous 69.2, the best in IPL 2026. The support around Singh has crumbled, though there was a small sign of life in the last game. Azmatullah Omarzai, playing his first match of the season, made an instant all-round impact. The bowling attack led by Arshdeep Singh has lacked the firepower to defend even competitive totals. Punjab need to snap this streak before they find themselves out of the top four. Toss and team news in a bit.

Bengaluru's winning blueprint - The Royal Challengers look every bit the defending champions. At the heart of their charge is Virat Kohli, who is enjoying one of his finest IPL seasons and is also coming off a match-winning, unbeaten ton. Against Punjab, he has no peer - 1159 runs, the most by any batter against the Kings, including a dazzling 92 off 47 balls the last time he played here. Around him, Devdutt Padikkal is enjoying his most fluent season, striking at 172, a career-best, while Krunal Pandya has found a new gear with the bat, averaging 35.25 in IPL 2026. Bhuvneshwar Kumar leads the bowling charts with 22 wickets, and his record against Punjab is as imposing as it gets. RCB have the form, the firepower, and the memory of that final night. They smell blood.

A final rematch in the hills - The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala has seen plenty of IPL action, but rarely has it hosted a rematch with this much weight. It's Match 61, and the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru are taking on the Punjab Kings, the very team they beat in last year's final. Since that night in Ahmedabad, the two franchises have followed very different arcs. RCB have climbed to the top of the table, and a win here will secure their progression to the playoffs. Punjab, meanwhile, have lost five on the trot after a flying start to their campaign, and are desperately looking over their shoulders as teams below them close in. The mountains are watching, the air is thin, and the stakes couldn't be clearer. One team is chasing glory, the other is trying to stop the free fall.

... MATCH DAY ...

High stakes in Dharamsala - A blockbuster clash awaits us as the Punjab Kings take on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. While both teams are still sitting in the top four, the mood around the two camps could not be more different. RCB are closing in on a playoff spot, whereas PBKS are desperately trying to arrest the slide in this final stretch of the league stage. From unbeaten to uncertain - The Punjab Kings have fallen away quite dramatically after what looked like the perfect start to the season. The Shreyas Iyer-led unit went unbeaten through their first 7 games and looked like genuine title contenders at one point, but things have quickly unravelled with five straight defeats. The situation is now so tricky that even wins in both their remaining games may not guarantee qualification, with other results also needing to go their way. Opening punch - One of the biggest positives for PBKS this season has been their opening pair. Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya have given the side flying starts consistently, averaging 44.9 together while scoring at a rate of close to 13 runs an over. Prabhsimran has been the more consistent of the two batters, while Priyansh has been more of a boom-or-bust batter. PBKS need their captain firing - A concern for Punjab has been the dip in the form of skipper Shreyas Iyer. He started the tournament brilliantly with 4 fifty-plus scores in his first 6 innings, but the runs have dried up a bit in recent games. PBKS will also feel they have not quite managed to make the most of good starts with the bat, often leaving their bowlers with too little to defend. Bowling woes - The inclusion of Azmatullah Omarzai has certainly improved the balance of the side, but the overseas quicks, Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett, have both been expensive this season. Arshdeep Singh has largely managed to keep things under control, but fielding lapses have also hurt Punjab badly during this losing streak. With both the previous games here in Dharamsala being night matches, the afternoon start could help balance things out a little more between bat and ball. Closing in on qualification - RCB did hit a slight bump in the middle of the tournament with a couple of defeats, but successive wins in Raipur have helped them quickly regain momentum at an important stage of the season. With two league games still left to play, one more victory should be enough to secure qualification, while wins in both games would seal a top-two finish. Salt's absence being felt - After back-to-back ducks, Virat Kohli responded in typical fashion with a match-winning century against KKR and has once again been the driving force of RCB's batting campaign this season. That said, Bengaluru have not quite managed to get the same kind of starts at the top since Phil Salt became unavailable due to a finger injury. Jacob Bethell has looked a touch vulnerable against the new ball and has not been able to replicate the impact Salt consistently provided alongside Kohli in the powerplay. RCB, though, remain hopeful of Salt returning soon. Patidar searching for rhythm - Bengaluru's skipper has not quite found the runs he would have liked in recent games, with teams regularly testing him with the short ball now. Much like his Punjab counterpart, Rajat enjoyed a blazing start to the season with 195 runs in his first four innings, but has managed only 142 runs across his next 11 knocks. Bhuvi leading the way - Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been the leader of the attack for RCB this season and has played a massive role in their push towards the playoffs. With 22 wickets in 12 matches, Bhuvneshwar is enjoying his best IPL season in nearly a decade, marking the first time since 2017 that he has crossed the 20-wicket mark in a single campaign. Whether it is striking early with the new ball or bowling under pressure at the death, Bhuvneshwar has consistently delivered for RCB throughout the season. Questions around the overseas quicks - After beginning the season with a Player-of-the-Match performance against SRH, Jacob Duffy has struggled to maintain that same impact, including in the last game after returning to the XI. That previous outing was also the first time this season that both Duffy and Josh Hazlewood featured together in the same XI, and it remains to be seen whether RCB stick with that combination for this afternoon clash in Dharamsala. RCB strengthen their pace stocks - The defending champions have also added another pace option to the squad by bringing in Richard Gleeson as a replacement for Nuwan Thushara, who could not join the tournament after being denied a No-Objection Certificate by the Sri Lankan board. Gleeson arrives on the back of a strong PSL campaign for Islamabad United, where he picked up 12 wickets in 9 matches. If RCB decide to keep Romario Shepherd out, Gleeson could come into contention as another overseas pace option, potentially even ahead of Duffy in the future. Form (Last 5 completed matches, recent first) - PBKS - LLLLL | RCB - WWLLW. What to expect? This will be the first afternoon game in Dharamsala this season, with both previous matches here having been night fixtures. Interestingly, the first game between Punjab and Delhi did not see a single over of spin bowled across the 39 overs of the contest. Even in the following game, only 7 overs of spin were bowled across 39.5 overs of cricket. With this being an afternoon clash, conditions could be slightly different, and expect spin to play a much bigger role than in the previous two games here. There is no surprise that all four completed innings here have seen scores of 200 or more. With the ground being situated at a high altitude, there is less air resistance, and the ball tends to travel much further once batters get hold of it. History favours Bengaluru - RCB have dominated this fixture in recent times, winning 6 of the last 7 meetings between the two sides, including each of the previous three encounters. Their last trip to Dharamsala came back in 2024, where they registered a comprehensive win against Punjab. Can the Kings get one over the Royal Challengers at a time of desperate need? We shall find out together.