IPL 2026, Match 61 scorecard Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers BengaluruIt’s the story of a high-scoring contest filled with explosive batting – matched only by the early wickets as Punjab/RCB made their plans clear at the outset – and ended in an utterly dominant all-round performance from RCB. Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings May 17, 2026 Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala To continue the win over Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru chase down a massive total of 222/4 and bowled out Punjab Kings for a petty 199 runs to complete a comprehensive 23-run win.
While Venkatesh Iyer shone with a blistering half-century of 73 not out off just 40 balls, Virat Kohli extended his brilliant season with another stylish fifty. Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck twice in the first over itself to derail the chase for Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Match Scorecard Overview
| Match | PBKS vs RCB 61st Match |
| Tournament | Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Date | 17 May 2026 |
| Venue | HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala |
| Toss | Punjab Kings won the toss and elected to bowl |
| RCB Score | 222/4 (20 Overs) |
| PBKS Score | 199/8 (20 Overs) |
| Result | Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 23 runs |
| Player of the Match | Venkatesh Iyer |
| Match Number | 61st Match |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Innings Scorecard – 222/4 (20 Overs)
RCB produced a batting masterclass, scoring over 220 runs thanks to outstanding contributions from Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, and Venkatesh Iyer.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
| Jacob Bethell | 11 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 157.14 |
| Virat Kohli | 58 | 37 | 4 | 3 | 156.76 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | 45 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 180 |
| Venkatesh Iyer* | 73* | 40 | 8 | 4 | 182.5 |
| Tim David* | 28* | 12 | 2 | 2 | 233.33 |
Fall of Wickets
- 21/1 – Jacob Bethell
- 97/2 – Devdutt Padikkal
- 157/3 – Virat Kohli
- 222/4 – Tim David
Virat Kohli Sets the Foundation
Here is how Virat Kohli proved he is still the most reliable batsman in the T20 format once again. His innings of 58 off 37 balls was punctuated with classically fashioned boundaries as well as timely sixes. Virat Kohli did the job of anchoring the innings for RCB and was successful in maintaining momentum during the middle overs.
Venkatesh Iyer’s Match-Winning Knock
Venkatesh Iyer played that unforgettable innings that was one of his best IPL innings till date, scoring unbeaten 73 off 40 balls. He struck eight fours and 4 sixes in his innings and blasted the RCB well past the 220-mark with a sensational finish to his innings, inclusive of the last five overs.
Punjab Kings Bowling Scorecard
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
| Harpreet Brar | 4 | 35 | 2 | 8.75 |
| Arshdeep Singh | 4 | 43 | 1 | 10.75 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 3 | 42 | 1 | 14 |
| Marco Jansen | 4 | 49 | 0 | 12.25 |
Punjab Kings Innings Scorecard – 199/8 (20 Overs)
Chasing 223 was always going to be difficult, and PBKS suffered a disastrous start when they lost two wickets in the opening over.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
| Priyansh Arya | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prabhsimran Singh | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Shreyas Iyer (c) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Cooper Connolly | 37 | 22 | 3 | 3 | 168.18 |
| Suryansh Shedge | 35 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 159.09 |
| Marcus Stoinis | 24 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 150 |
| Shashank Singh | 56 | 27 | 5 | 4 | 207.41 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 16 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 123.08 |
| Harpreet Brar* | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 166.67 |
| Arshdeep Singh* | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Fall of Wickets
| Score | Batter | Over |
| 1/1 | Priyansh Arya | 0.3 |
| 18/2 | Prabhsimran Singh | 2.5 |
| 19/3 | Shreyas Iyer | 3.2 |
| 62/4 | Cooper Connolly | 7.3 |
| 93/5 | Suryansh Shedge | 10.5 |
| 160/6 | Marcus Stoinis | 16.1 |
| 194/7 | Shashank Singh | 19.2 |
| 199/8 | Azmatullah Omarzai | 20 |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 4 | 38 | 2 | 9.5 |
| Rasikh Salam Dar | 4 | 36 | 3 | 9 |
| Romario Shepherd | 4 | 44 | 1 | 11 |
| Suyash Sharma | 4 | 31 | 1 | 7.75 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 4 | 46 | 0 | 11.5 |
Powerplay Comparison
| Team | Score | Wickets |
| RCB | 61/1 | 1 |
| PBKS | 49/3 | 3 |
Most Fours in the Match
| Player | Fours |
| Venkatesh Iyer | 8 |
| Virat Kohli | 4 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | 4 |
Most Sixes in the Match
| Player | Sixes |
| Venkatesh Iyer | 4 |
| Virat Kohli | 3 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | 3 |
| Cooper Connolly | 3 |
Player of the Match
Venkatesh Iyer was awarded Player of the Match for his blistering 73 not out off just 40 balls, an innings that turned a respectable score into a winning one.
What This Result Means
This win not only solidified Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s position in IPL 2026 points table, but also booked them a flight to the playoffs. This was a disappointing loss for the Punjab Kings and dented their chances of qualifying.
Final Thoughts
Kohli-scored Bangalore across the line with eight balls remaining to hand RCB their first win in two games, and an undefeated century from Jos Buttler paved the way for Rajasthan Royals against Delhi Capitals. Setting the tone was Virat Kohli, then Venkatesh Iyer got into action and Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave a breakthrough early on that never allowed Punjab Kings any reprieve as they fell short of our complete analysis.
For cricket fans, this was as good a lesson for how belligerent batting and tight bowling is all that translates to winning big games in the IPL.
FAQs
1. Who won the Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2026 match?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the match by 23 runs after scoring 222/4 in 20 overs and restricting Punjab Kings to 199/8.
2. Who was the Player of the Match in PBKS vs RCB 2026?
Venkatesh Iyer was named Player of the Match for his outstanding unbeaten 73 runs off 40 balls, which included eight fours and four sixes.
3. What was the full Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru match scorecard?
The complete Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru match scorecard was:
- RCB: 222/4 in 20 overs
- PBKS: 199/8 in 20 overs
- Result: RCB won by 23 runs
4. Who scored the most runs for Punjab Kings in the second innings?
Shashank Singh was the highest scorer for Punjab Kings with a brilliant 56 runs off 27 balls, hitting five fours and four sixes.
5. Which bowler took the most wickets for RCB against Punjab Kings?
Rasikh Salam Dar was the most successful bowler for RCB, taking 3 wickets for 36 runs in his four-over spell.
