HIGHLIGHTS Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2026 Match 61 - Result, Scorecard

Welcome back for the all-important run chase. RCB form a huddle near the ropes before they spread across the park. The destructive opening pair of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh walk to the crease for PBKS to open the innings. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the Purple Cap holder currently, has the new ball in hand. Priyansh to face and there's a slip in place. Here we go again...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Been there, done that - The pitch is not quite as easy as RCB made it look, mind you. The cutters were holding up off the surface, and that will be RCB's template with the ball, though they will need sharper execution to make it count. That said, Punjab Kings have found plenty of comfort chasing down big totals this season, particularly those 220s and 230s. And they will come out with belief, motivated by what they have done before to get back to winning ways. But for that, they will have to execute the highest successful run chase in Dharamsala as well. And against an in-form RCB bowling lineup, it is going to be a lot more challenging for them. With a lot riding on for both teams, a huge run chase is up next very shortly. Stay tuned.

RCB's man in form is up for a chat - Devdutt Padikkal says that RCB have posted a pretty good total and adds that the bowlers will now need to execute well, just like in any other game. He mentions that the pitch has been a little slow, which is something you expect in day games, and that the ball was not coming on nicely with the new ball. According to him, the key will be to bowl into the wicket a bit more, and he backs RCB’s skilful bowling attack to know exactly what to do. Shares that whenever he walks out to bat in the Powerplay, his role is to stitch together a partnership, maintain the momentum and put the team in a really good position. Tells that he is happy he was able to do that today.

PBKS couldn't stop the leakage - A brief quiet spell threatened to put a lid on things, but Venkatesh Iyer shifted through the gears with some clean, purposeful hitting to drag the innings back to full throttle. Kohli had already departed for a smart fifty, prised out by Chahal, but the groundwork was done. Venkatesh built on it beautifully, making the most of his time in the middle and racing to a fifty of his own. With the familiar struggles coming back to haunt the Punjab Kings, they couldn't pick wickets in clusters and also struggled to finish strongly in the death phase. Although Azmatullah Omarzai bowled a fantastic penultimate over, Tim David went berserk against Arshdeep in the final one, offering those vital finishing touches, to get his team past 220.

Kohli and Padikkal set a strong base - The surface looked a decent one to bat on, with some early movement that faded as the innings wore on, though the day game conditions kept things a touch slow throughout. RCB lost Bethell, who fell early doors again, but Kohli and Padikkal were in no mood to let the innings drift. The two feasted on anything loose, putting the bad ball away with ease and at will. It was Padikkal who came out swinging as the designated aggressor, while Kohli quietly but firmly kept the scoreboard ticking at the other end. The pair had piled on 76 together before Brar broke the alliance just past the halfway point, with RCB 101/2.

Runs galore in Dharamsala - Well, another game, another 200-plus total on the board. This is now the highest first innings score in Dharamsala in an afternoon IPL game, eclipsing the previous best of 198/2 set by the Deccan Chargers all the way back in 2011. So the Punjab Kings already have a huge task up their sleeves if they are to break their five-match losing slide.

Arshdeep Singh to Tim David, OUT! CAUGHT! A wicket to end the innings. RCB finish on 222/4. A thigh-high full toss, on the pads. There to be put away and David swings at it but is early into the lofted hit. It comes right off the toe end of the blade and it goes straight down the throat of Harpreet Brar at deep backward square leg, who takes an easy catch around his waist. David takes the review, wanting to check the height of the full toss. The side-on replays confirm that the ball was well below the waist, and the third umpire feels no need to check the height with the Ball Tracker.

Review time. The catch is taken cleanly in the deep by Brar, but David thinks it is above waist height and sends it upstairs for a review. The side on review comes up and there is no need for the Ball Tracking as it is clearly dipping below David's waist. It's a fair delivery. OUT loads on the big screen.

Arshdeep Singh to Tim David, FOUR! Hammered down the ground! Attempted yorker gone wrong for Arshdeep. Right in the slot, on off and middle. David collapses his back knee and slams it to the right of long off for a boundary. Just 4 runs off the first 3 balls, but the next 2 have gone for 10. Can Arshdeep finish well?

Arshdeep Singh to Tim David, SIX! There's the big hit RCB were looking for. Arshdeep tries to cramp David for room but he misses his mark in terms of the yorker. It is enough for Tim to get under it. He clears the front leg and clobbers it over mid-wicket for a six.

Arshdeep Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, Back to bowling the wide yorker. Iyer digs it out to the left of short third for just a single.

Arshdeep Singh to Tim David, Good change-up. Arshdeep moves away from the yorker plan and catches David by surprise. Bangs in the bumper, over middle. Tim is rushed on the pull and gets it off the splice of the blade. It drops in the vacant mid-wicket region for one.

Arshdeep Singh to Tim David, Wide! Arshdeep slips in the yorker but sprays it down leg. David dances down the track and eventually lets it be.

Arshdeep Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, Right on the tramline, a yorker. Venkatesh Iyer reaches out to go through the off side. Miscues it off the toe end in front of square on the leg side for a run.

A fine, fine penultimate over from Omarzai, with two big hitters at the crease. Arshdeep Singh (3-0-29-0) will bowl the final over.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Tim David, FOUR! That has raced away! Still, only 8 runs off the 19th over. The Punjab Kings will take it. Azmatullah Omarzai misses his yorker by a small margin. It is a low full toss, outside off. David gets his hands through the ball and slices it with an open bat face behind point. The deep backward point fielder does not have a lot of ground to cover to his right but he is still beaten.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Venkatesh Iyer, Very full, outside off, Venkatesh Iyer carves it with an open bat face to deep point for only a single.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Venkatesh Iyer, Is there an edge? Prabhsimran Singh went up in an appeal before bailing out. Shreyas Iyer asks Azmatullah Omarzai and eventually takes the review. Gets the yorker in, outside off. Iyer opens the bat face, trying to slice it behind point, but appears to have missed any contact with the ball. The sound seems to be of the bat hitting the ground. Flat line on UltraEdge when the ball is next to the bat. It was after the ball went past the bat that the blade hit the ground. NOT OUT.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Venkatesh Iyer, Going away with the angle, on a good length. Iyer hangs back and swings but does not pick the change of pace and the ball sneaks under the bat.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Tim David, Takes pace off and keeps it away from the batter, on the shorter side. Tim drags the pull to deep mid-wicket for one.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Tim David, Bashes the back of a length, keeping it around the tramline. David swings hard at it, and it goes to deep point. Suryansh Shedge sprints and dives to his left in the deep. Tries to relay it towards the converging Harpreet Brar, who lets it through his legs, but it does not cost any extra runs to Punjab as the duo mop it up. A couple of runs for David.

Another over that goes for double digits. 230-240 is pretty much on cards now, with 7 wickets in hand. And PBKS have opted to use their Impact Sub option. Marcus Stoinis comes in, while Yuzvendra Chahal is subbed out. Chahal still had one over left in his spell, but he was too expensive and makes his way to the dugout. Azmatullah Omarzai (3-0-30-0) is back into the attack now, replacing Lockie Ferguson.

Yuzvendra Chahal is substituted by Marcus Stoinis

Arshdeep Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, Nails the yorker, on off. Venkatesh Iyer stays leg side and has a big heave across the line but the ball drops under his bat.

Arshdeep Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, FOUR! Easy pickings! Arshdeep spots Iyer backing away and he tries to follow him. It comes out as a low full toss, on the pads. Venkatesh swings away and it goes on the bounce to the deep backward square leg fence. The 200 comes up for RCB.

Arshdeep Singh to Tim David, Tucks the batter up for room and bowls it very full. David eases it to long on for a single.

Arshdeep Singh to Tim David, SIX! Danger signs for PBKS as David cuts loose now! Short from around the stump, on middle. Tim David picks the length in a trice and ferociously pulls it for a flat six behind deep mid-wicket.

Arshdeep Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, Attempted yorker, tailing in a bit, on off. Iyer drills it down to long on for a single.

Arshdeep Singh to Tim David, Back of a length, straightening off the pitch with some bounce, around off. David is squared up and gets a thick outside edge to short third. The ball goes on the bounce to Shashank Singh there and the batters hustle through for a run.

Mayhem in Dharamsala. The last three overs have gone for 44 runs, and if PBKS were looking to slow things down after Kohli's wicket, the innings has had absolutely none of it. Arshdeep Singh is brought back on.

Lockie Ferguson to Venkatesh Iyer, SIX! High and handsome! Ferguson goes searching for the yorker but ends up serving it right in the hitting arc, full and on middle and leg. Venkatesh gets the front leg out of the way and winds up to dump it beyond the long on fence. 19 runs off the over. Lockie's figures read 3-0-43-0.

Lockie Ferguson to Venkatesh Iyer, Brings out the slower, dipping yorker, on middle. Venkatesh hangs low and bunts it back to the bowler.

Lockie Ferguson to Venkatesh Iyer, Wide given for height. Out comes the slower bumper by Lockie, over middle. Iyer hops to flay it over the keeper but misses. The Punjab Kings challenge the wide call. Iyer's head is measured at 1.940 metres, and the ball is passing him at 2.076 metres. There is no contact with the bat or the glove either. The wide call stays.

Lockie Ferguson to Venkatesh Iyer, FOUR! Creamed away! Ferguson goes full this time, searching for the yorker, on middle. Iyer gets his hands through the ball and drills it all along the ground between extra cover and mid off.

Lockie Ferguson to Venkatesh Iyer, SIX! Venkatesh Iyer brings up his FIFTY in some style. His first half-century of the season and he is making the most of the opportunity. Ferguson bowls it on a good length, on middle and leg. Iyer backs away, knowing that mid off is up inside the circle. He gets under the ball and lofts it with a high elbow over mid off for a six.

Lockie Ferguson to Tim David, Very full, on middle and leg. David hangs deep in the crease and wrists it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Lockie Ferguson to Venkatesh Iyer, Pace off, on a length, on middle. Venkatesh Iyer clears the front leg and clubs it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Venkatesh Iyer, On a short of a length, on off. This is thumped to long off for a single.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Venkatesh Iyer, FOUR! Iyer repeats the dose! Into the surface, over off, Venkatesh is across his stumps once again and waits for the ball to arrive before playing the scoop, this time to the left of the man at short fine leg for four more.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Venkatesh Iyer, FOUR! Cleverly played! Low full toss, around the tramline on off. Venkatesh Iyer anticipates the line to be outside off, and he walks across early. He gets low, takes it on the full and scoops it to the right of the diving short fine leg fielder for a boundary.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Venkatesh Iyer, Dug in short and outside off. Venkatesh Iyer looks to slam it over covers, but the ball arrives later than he expected and ends up chopping it to cover.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Tim David, Short of a good length, on top of middle. Tim David stands tall and knocks it wide of deep mid-wicket for a run.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Venkatesh Iyer, Shortish delivery, at a gentle pace, outside off. Venkatesh Iyer arches back, gets on the toes and cuts it to deep point for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK! The platform is nicely set for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. This has not been as easy a pitch to bat on as the scorecard suggests, or as Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal made it look. The surface has been on the slower side, with the cutters gripping and holding up in the pitch. With Venkatesh Iyer also finding his rhythm after a scratchy start, it is all looking ominous for the Punjab Kings. Can they hold their own at the death, something they have struggled with this season? Tim David joins Venkatesh out in the middle. Azmatullah Omarzai to bowl after the break.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Virat Kohli, OUT! CAUGHT IN THE DEEP! Chahal strikes and strikes very big despite being carted all over the park. Gives the ball a decent flight and lands it full on the leg stump. Kohli steps out to whip it over deep mid-wicket, bringing the wrists into play. But this time, he cannot quite get the power or timing behind it, and it flies straight to deep mid-wicket. Priyansh Arya holds on without fuss. Another fine knock from Virat comes to an end. Royal Challengers Bengaluru are 157/3 after 15 overs.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Venkatesh Iyer, Pitched wide and fuller, outside off. Venkatesh Iyer throws his bat at it and slices it over backward point. Lockie Ferguson runs to his left and collects it on the bounce. They cross.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Venkatesh Iyer, SIX! A loosener and it gets the treatment! Full and tossed up on the leg stump at 87.6 kph. Iyer gets to the pitch of the ball, hits it through the line, sending it soaring over long on for a massive six.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Venkatesh Iyer, 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. 150 UP FOR RCB!

Yuzvendra Chahal to Virat Kohli, 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.

Harpreet Brar to Virat Kohli, 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.

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

Harpreet Brar to Virat Kohli, Full, around off, gorgeously driven off the front foot to long off for a single.

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

Harpreet Brar to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

Harpreet Brar to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

Lockie Ferguson to Virat Kohli, 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.

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

Lockie Ferguson to Virat Kohli, 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.

Lockie Ferguson to Venkatesh Iyer, Fuller in length, around leg. Whipped away to deep square leg for a single.

Lockie Ferguson to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

Lockie Ferguson to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

Shashank Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

Shashank Singh to Virat Kohli, FIFTY FOR VIRAT KOHLI! His fourth half century this season to go with a century. He just continues to churn out runs for fun and the crowd is up on its feet, having their money's worth already. 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.

Shashank Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

Shashank Singh to Virat Kohli, 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.

Shashank Singh to Virat Kohli, 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.

Shashank Singh to Virat Kohli, 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.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

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

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

Yuzvendra Chahal to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Virat Kohli, 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.

Harpreet Brar to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

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

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

Harpreet Brar to Virat Kohli, A bit short, on middle. Virat pulls it towards wide long on for one.

Harpreet Brar to Venkatesh Iyer, 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.

Harpreet Brar to Devdutt Padikkal, 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).

Azmatullah Omarzai to Virat Kohli, 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.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Virat Kohli, 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.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Virat Kohli, 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.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Virat Kohli, 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.

Shashank Singh to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Shashank Singh to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Shashank Singh to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Shashank Singh to Virat Kohli, 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.

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

Shashank Singh to Virat Kohli, 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.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Virat Kohli, 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.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Virat Kohli, 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.

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

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

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

Yuzvendra Chahal to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Arshdeep Singh to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Arshdeep Singh to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Arshdeep Singh to Virat Kohli, 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.

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

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

Arshdeep Singh to Virat Kohli, 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.

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

Harpreet Brar to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Harpreet Brar to Virat Kohli, 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.

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

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

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

Harpreet Brar to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Lockie Ferguson to Virat Kohli, 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.

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

Lockie Ferguson to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Lockie Ferguson to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Lockie Ferguson to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Lockie Ferguson to Virat Kohli, 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.

Lockie Ferguson to Virat Kohli, 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.

Harpreet Brar to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

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

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

Harpreet Brar to Devdutt Padikkal, 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.

Harpreet Brar to Jacob Bethell, 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.

Harpreet Brar to Jacob Bethell, 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.

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

Azmatullah Omarzai to Jacob Bethell, 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.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Jacob Bethell, 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.

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

Azmatullah Omarzai to Virat Kohli, 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.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Virat Kohli, 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.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Virat Kohli, 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?

Arshdeep Singh to Virat Kohli, 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.

Arshdeep Singh to Jacob Bethell, 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.

Arshdeep Singh to Virat Kohli, 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.

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

Arshdeep Singh to Virat Kohli, 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.

Arshdeep Singh to Jacob Bethell, 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.