The Punjab Kings host the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on May 17 in Match 61 of the 2026 Indian Premier League.
The Kings started their season brilliantly, going unbeaten in their first seven games. Now, they sit on the brink of missing the playoffs, having lost five consecutive matches.
They face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a repeat of the previous year’s final, with their season’s hopes hanging in the air. They were beaten by the Mumbai Indians in Dharamshala on May 14, failing to defend a total of 201.
Here is the strongest predicted PBKS XI for Match 61 vs RCB:
Top order: Prabhsimran Singh (Impact), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly,Â
Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya have been one of the most exciting opening pairs in the IPL, getting the Kings off to brilliant starts since the previous season. Prabhsimran scored a 32-ball 57 against Mumbai Indians, which was his fifth half-century of the season. Arya has been the dashing opener, scoring 364 runs at a whopping 216.67 strike rate.
Australian starlet Cooper Connolly has been one of the best rookie players of the 2026 season. Playing for the first time in the IPL, Connolly has seamlessly fit in at number 3 for the Kings, scoring 436 runs at 162.08, including his maiden T20 century against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
