IPL 2026: RCB out to seal Playoffs berth as PBKS fight for survival

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar

Royal Challengers Bengaluru would look to exploit vulnerabilities of a profligate Punjab Kings bowling line-up to seal an IPL Playoffs berth here on Sunday. In the only day game scheduled at the scenic stadium, the top draw without an iota of doubt is Virat Kohli, fresh off a hundred in the previous game.

A sizeable number of fans have already made their way up to the mountains from Delhi and Punjab to see the larger than life Kohli bat in the breathtaking backdrop of Dhauladhar range. The limited infrastructure in place in the city is pushed to its limits.

Shreyas Iyer

The defending champions, the only team which has maintained consistency throughout the tournament, are clear favourites against Punjab Kings, who are in a freefall having lost five games in a row after being the most dominant team in the first half of the tournament.

While Rajat Patidar's RCB are sitting comfortably on the points table, a sixth loss for Punjab Kings would effectively shut the Playoffs door on the Shreyas Iyer-led side.

In both the games played here, Punjab Kings failed to defend 210 and 200. The team need to rejig its bowling combination with the likes of Xavier Bartlett and Marco Jansen proving expensive throughout the tournament.

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No of games Punjab Kings have won against RCB in their last seven meetings

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