PBKS vs RCB Live Score Updates IPL 2026: Follow Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2026 match. (CREIMAS FOR IPL)IPL 2026 PBKS vs RCB, Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Highlights: Royal Challengers Bengaluru became the first team to qualify for the Indian Premier League 2026 playoffs after beating Punjab Kings by 23 runs at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Earlier, in-form Virat Kohli slammed his 67th half-century in the IPL and took RCB to 222/4 in 20 overs after Shreyas Iyer won the toss for Punjab Kings and elected to bowl first. RCB missed the services of their skipper Rajat Patidar, who was ruled out of the game due to an injury.
After opener Jacob Bethell departed early, Kohli was joined by Devdutt Padikkal, and the pair were quick to rebuild, adding 76 off 41 balls for the second wicket. Following Padikkal’s dismissal, Venkatesh Iyer took charge of the run-scoring. His 40-ball 73-run innings, along with fireworks from Tim David, ensured RCB put a par total on the board.
Punjab never looked in control of the chase in a must-win game. Their top three — Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, and Shreyas Iyer — departed within the first four overs, leaving them to play catch-up for the rest of the innings. Suryansh Shedge, Marcus Stoinis, and Shashank Singh displayed rearguard action, but it was never enough to overhaul the target set by RCB.
Punjab Kings
199/8 (20.0)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
222/4 (20.0)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Punjab Kings by 23 runs
The momentum from the first half of the season has disappeared quickly for the Shreyas Iyer-led side, who slumped to a fifth straight defeat after losing to Mumbai Indians (MI) in Dharamshala on Thursday. (BCCI/Creimas Photo)