PBKS vs RR Match Preview Today: Pitch Report, Playing XI, Key Players & Prediction

By Cricket Addictor

Published - 26 Apr 2026, 12:01 PM | Updated - 28 Apr 2026, 09:43 AM

Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Match Preview

📍 Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Chandigarh 🕒 07:30 PM IST Star Sports / JioCinema

PBKS vs RR Quick Verdict

Winner: Punjab Kings
Win probability: 55%
Best batter: Shreyas Iyer
Best bowler: Arshdeep Singh
Toss strategy: Bowl first
Expected score: 200–215

Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Match Preview

IPL — Punjab Kings take on Rajasthan Royals at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium (Chandigarh) on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

Punjab Kings will face Rajasthan Royals in Match 40 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, April 28. The Shreyas Iyer-led team is at the top of the table, unbeaten, while the Royals dropped to fourth place after losing to SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Punjab Kings have momentum with six consecutive wins in the ongoing tournament. Rajasthan Royals have shown some inconsistency, losing two of their last five matches. They will need Jofra Archer to provide early breakthroughs in the powerplay to challenge the Punjab Kings batters at their Mullanpur home ground.

Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Match Info

Match: PBKS vs RR, Match 40
Series: IPL
Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Time: 07:30 PM IST
Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Chandigarh
Live streaming: Jio Hotstar
TV: Star Sports Network

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Toss Update

The toss will be very important due to the impact of evening dew at Mullanpur.

The captain winning the toss is likely to bowl first, as dew in the second innings makes it difficult for bowlers to grip the ball.

Likely toss call: Bowl first
Par score (1st inns): 200-215

Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Fixture Snapshot

Date	Match	Result
28 Apr 2026	PBKS vs RR	Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets

Points table — Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals

League positions and stats for both teams in this match. Numbers match the full IPL points table.

IPL 2026

N/R

PTS

Net RR

Last 5 Matches

Punjab Kings

1.043

Opponent	Description	Date
Gujarat Titans (PBKS won by 3 wickets)	Match 4	31 Mar 2026
Chennai Super Kings (PBKS won by 5 wickets)	Match 7	3 Apr 2026
Kolkata Knight Riders (No result (due to rain))	Match 12	6 Apr 2026
Sunrisers Hyderabad (PBKS won by 6 wickets)	Match 17	11 Apr 2026
Mumbai Indians (PBKS won by 7 wickets)	Match 24	16 Apr 2026
Lucknow Super Giants (PBKS won by 54 runs)	Match 29	19 Apr 2026
Delhi Capitals (PBKS won by 6 wickets)	Match 35	25 Apr 2026
Rajasthan Royals (RR won by 6 wickets)	Match 40	28 Apr 2026
Gujarat Titans	Match 46	3 May 2026
Sunrisers Hyderabad	Match 49	6 May 2026
Delhi Capitals	Match 55	11 May 2026
Mumbai Indians	Match 58	14 May 2026
Royal Challengers Bangalore	Match 61	17 May 2026
Lucknow Super Giants	Match 68	23 May 2026

Rajasthan Royals

0.617

Opponent	Description	Date
Chennai Super Kings (RR won by 8 wickets)	Match 3	30 Mar 2026
Gujarat Titans (RR won by 6 runs)	Match 9	4 Apr 2026
Mumbai Indians (RR won by 27 runs)	Match 13	7 Apr 2026
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RR won by 6 wickets)	Match 16	10 Apr 2026
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH won by 57 runs)	Match 21	13 Apr 2026
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR won by 4 wickets)	Match 28	19 Apr 2026
Lucknow Super Giants (RR won by 40 runs)	Match 32	22 Apr 2026
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH won by 5 wickets)	Match 36	25 Apr 2026
Punjab Kings (RR won by 6 wickets)	Match 40	28 Apr 2026
Delhi Capitals	Match 43	1 May 2026
Gujarat Titans	Match 52	9 May 2026
Delhi Capitals	Match 62	17 May 2026
Lucknow Super Giants	Match 64	19 May 2026
Mumbai Indians	Match 69	24 May 2026

View full IPL points table →

Qualification & match impact

Punjab Kings are currently at the top of the table with 13 points and an impressive net run rate (NRR) of 1.333. The Rajasthan Royals are placed fourth with 10 points. A win tonight could push Punjab closer to early playoff qualification, while Rajasthan will look to strengthen their position in the top four.

Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Head-to-Head

PBKS WINS 12

Total matches: 31

RR WINS 18

Team totals in IPL when these two have met:

PBKS totals

High 223

Low 124

RR totals

High 228

Low 112

Last meeting (28 Apr 2026)

PBKS 222 v RR 228

RR won

Match page →

View Full H2H →

Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals share a highly competitive rivalry in the IPL. The two teams have faced each other 30 times, with Rajasthan Royals holding a slight edge with 17 wins, while Punjab Kings have secured 13 victories.

In recent encounters, matches have often gone down to the wire. In IPL 2024 and 2025, both sides secured wins against each other. In the last five head-to-head matches, Punjab Kings have won three games, while Rajasthan Royals have won two.

Rajasthan Royals have registered a highest total of 226, while Punjab Kings have posted 223 as their best score in this rivalry. The lowest totals are 112 for the Rajasthan Royals and 124 for the Punjab Kings.

Team Form (Last 5 Matches)

Punjab Kings are in excellent form this season, sitting at the top with 13 points. They have shown consistency with both bat and ball. In their last match, they chased down a massive 264-run total against Delhi Capitals (DC).

Punjab Kings batters are scoring regularly, and the bowlers are delivering in key moments, especially in the death overs. The team is playing with confidence, and their unbeaten run shows their dominance this season.

The Rajasthan Royals have had a mixed campaign so far. They have 10 points from eight matches and are placed fourth. They have shown good performances but have struggled with consistency. The team must play well in all departments to challenge an unbeaten Punjab Kings team.

PBKS — last 5 (completed)

Date	Match	Result
28 Apr 2026	PBKS vs RR	Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets
25 Apr 2026	DC vs PBKS	Punjab Kings won by 6 wickets
19 Apr 2026	PBKS vs LSG	Punjab Kings won by 54 runs
16 Apr 2026	MI vs PBKS	Punjab Kings won by 7 wickets
11 Apr 2026	PBKS vs SRH	Punjab Kings won by 6 wickets

RR — last 5 (completed)

Date	Match	Result
28 Apr 2026	PBKS vs RR	Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets
25 Apr 2026	RR vs SRH	Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 5 wickets
22 Apr 2026	LSG vs RR	Rajasthan Royals won by 40 runs
19 Apr 2026	KKR vs RR	Kolkata Knight Riders won by 4 wickets
13 Apr 2026	SRH vs RR	Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 57 runs

Player key stats

Top Player Stats

(Based on recent match performances)

Prabhsimran Singh PBKS

346 Runs

Vaibhav Suryavanshi RR

322 Runs

Shreyas Iyer PBKS

309 Runs

Yashasvi Jaiswal RR

306 Runs

Cooper Connolly PBKS

270 Runs

Dhruv Jurel RR

248 Runs

Priyansh Arya PBKS

252.13 SR

Marcus Stoinis PBKS

229.17 SR

Vaibhav Suryavanshi RR

228.37 SR

Tushar Deshpande RR

227.27 SR

Xavier Bartlett PBKS

220.00 SR

Shashank Singh PBKS

194.44 SR

Jofra Archer RR

14 Wkts

Nandre Burger RR

9 Wkts

Arshdeep Singh PBKS

8 Wkts

Brijesh Sharma RR

7 Wkts

Yuzvendra Chahal PBKS

7 Wkts

Ravindra Jadeja RR

6 Wkts

Harpreet Brar PBKS

6.25 Econ

Ravindra Jadeja RR

7.21 Econ

Yash Raj Punja RR

8.25 Econ

Jofra Archer RR

8.27 Econ

Shashank Singh PBKS

8.29 Econ

Marco Jansen PBKS

9.17 Econ

Key players to watch

PBKS

Key Battles to Watch

Prabhsimran Singh vs Jofra Archer:

Jofra Archer will use his pace and bounce to target Prabhsimran Singh early in the powerplay. He must look to dismiss the aggressive opener quickly and stop Punjab Kings from getting a strong start.

Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Arshdeep Singh:

Arshdeep Singh will rely on swing and accuracy to challenge Yashasvi Jaiswal. He needs to strike early and prevent Jaiswal from building momentum in the powerplay.

Shreyas Iyer vs Ravindra Jadeja:

Ravindra Jadeja will aim to control the middle overs with tight left-arm spin. He must restrict Shreyas Iyer, who plays a key role in anchoring the Punjab Kings innings.

Weather at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Chandigarh

Weather

scattered clouds

Temp

25.8°C

Humidity

50%

Wind

4.61 km/h

Clouds

40%

Weather impact

Mullanpur will have clear and warm conditions for this evening's match. Temperatures at the start will be between 30 and 32°C. There is no chance of rain, ensuring a full contest between the Punjab Kings and the Rajasthan Royals.

Pitch Report And Stats

Ground dimensions

Based on last 5 completed T20 matches at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium.

Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium · T20

Average score & wickets

5 matches

214

Avg score

Avg wickets

Score distribution (1st innings)

0 1 4

< 140 140-180 > 180

Pitch Batting Friendly Par 202 - 226 Confidence Medium

Batting-friendly 4 Bowling-friendly 0 Neutral 1

Teams batting first have scored noticeably better.

Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium · T20

Scoring records

254

Highest team score

162

Lowest team score

213

Lowest score defended

1st Innings vs 2nd Innings

Per innings: average team score, total fours/sixes in that innings (averaged across matches), and wickets. Based on the last 5 completed T20 matches at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium.

1st Innings 2nd Innings

214 Avg score 196

15 Total 4s (avg) 13

13 Total 6s (avg) 13

5 Wickets (avg) 6

View full venue & pitch report →

Predicted Playing XI

PBKS

Impact Players

Impact picks for this fixture

Batting impact player: Suryansh Shedge (Punjab Kings) / Shubham Dubey (Rajasthan Royals)

Bowling impact player: Vijaykumar Vyshak (Punjab Kings) / Ravi Bishnoi (Rajasthan Royals)

Match Prediction

Win Probability

PBKS 51%

RR 49%

Calculated from: Last 5 matches form (win%), venue win trend, H2H wins ratio, batting proxy (high score), and bowling proxy (low score pressure).

Bat First

RR Advantage

21%

Chase

RR Advantage

19%

1st Innings Range: 202 - 226

Punjab Kings are likely to defeat Rajasthan Royals. They are unbeaten so far in the tournament. The Royals have shown some bowling inconsistencies, which Punjab could exploit. With home advantage and strong batting depth, Punjab look like the favorite to win at Mullanpur.

Full match prediction page →