IPL 2026: PBKS vs RCB Match 61 – Who will be Impact Players for today’s match?

A struggling Punjab Kings (PBKS) take on the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala in Match 61 of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday, May 17, as part of a double header. 

PBKS have suffered five consecutive defeats in the tournament, but their solid start to the season still means that they are well in the hunt to secure a playoff berth. As things stand, Shreyas Iyer’s side are fourth in the standings with 13 points from 12 matches. 

RCB, on the other hand, virtually have one foot in the playoffs, with 16 points from 12 matches. They have won two matches on the bounce, with their most recent triumph coming against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Raipur. 

In the previous matches, both PBKS and RCB called in a batter as their Impact Player, but for completely different reasons. The Kings used Vishnu Vinod as their substitute in the first innings to give them an extra batting option following a batting collapse. RCB, meanwhile, called in Devdutt Padikkal whilst chasing the total against KKR.

Predicted Impact Players for Punjab Kings (PBKS):

Vishnu Vinod: A wicketkeeper-batter, Vishnu Vinod scored 15 off just eight balls against the Mumbai Indians in their last match.

Harpreet Brar: A spinner with a bulk of experience, Harpreet Brar has played just one game all season and is yet to take a wicket. However, he is a good spin-bowling option to call off the bench.

Vijaykumar Vyshak: Vijaykumar Vyshak had a good start to the 2026 IPL season, and currently has nine wickets from as many matches. 

Nahel Wadhera: Nehal Wadhera has not enjoyed the best of times in this season’s IPL and has lost his place in the playing XI, having scored 65 runs from eight games. 

Praveen Dubey: Yet another spin-bowling option on the bench, Praveen Dubey has not featured in this season’s IPL, but has an overall T20 economy of 7.26.

Predicted Impact Players for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB):

Devdutt Padikkal: Slowly becoming RCB’s designated Impact Sub whilst chasing a total, Padikkal has scored 367 runs this season at a strike-rate of 172.30.

Suyash Sharma: An excellent spinner in the IPL, Suyash Sharma has taken seven wickets from 10 matches this season at an economy rate of 8.57.

Abhinandan Singh: Abhinandan Singh represented RCB towards the start of the season but has since lost his place. He took three wickets from as many matches in the early stages. 

Jordan Cox: A highly-rated English batter, Jordan Cox is yet to make his IPL debut, but has been seen on the field multiple times as an injury replacement. 

Romario Shepherd: The West Indies all-rounder recently lost his place in the playing XI, with RCB management preferring an additional overseas bowler. 

Expert Opinion and Final Prediction

• Home Advantage: PBKS called Dharamshala their second home, but have lost both matches played at the HPCA Stadium this season. 
• Recent Form: RCB have a one-sided 4-1 record against PBKS in their last five meetings. The defending champions are also in a much better form than the hosts this season. 
• Balanced Side: RCB have a much more balanced side compared to PBKS in the latter stages of the tournament. 
• Prediction: With these factors in their favour, it is hard to look beyond the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to secure a win over the Punjab Kings.