Punjab Kings host Rajasthan Royals in Match 40 of IPL 2026 at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, on April 28. Both teams boast explosive top orders and experienced cores, promising a high-scoring contest.
PBKS enter the clash in red-hot form, sitting atop the points table with six wins from their opening games. They are unlikely to tinker with their winning combination.
No injury concerns reported; the side remains unchanged. Shreyas Iyer continues to lead from the front with the bat and calm captaincy.Skipper Shreyas Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting have fostered a fearless brand of cricket, with Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly providing explosive starts. Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal anchor the bowling.
RR,
featuring teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, have relied on their aggressive opening pair but may look for a tactical tweak in the bowling department. They could bring in Sandeep Sharma for extra swing or stick with their current pace-spin mix.
With dew likely to play a factor in the second innings, the toss could be crucial. Expect fireworks from both batting line-ups in what promises to be a thrilling evening clash.
RR will miss consistency in the middle order despite Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's fireworks. They might tweak their pace attack, possibly preferring extra swing or an additional spinner. Riyan Parag leads a young, aggressive unit featuring Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav at the top.
PBKS vs RR H2H Record:
Rajasthan Royals hold a 17-13 edge over PBKS in 30 IPL meetings. RR have dominated historically, but the rivalry has been even since 2022 (4-3 in RR's favour). PBKS won the most recent clash in May 2025
PBKS vs RR Predicted Playing 11
Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi
