IPL Match Today: PBKS vs RCB Toss, Pitch Report, Head to Head stats, Playing 11 Prediction and Live Streaming Details

PBKS vs RCB IPL 2024 at Dharamsala with Faf Du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Shashank Singh and others

Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL Match 2024: Punjab Kings are set to host Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Dharamsala Stadium in match 58 of IPL 2024. The night match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST.

In Thursday's showdown, the victor will cling onto their faint playoff aspirations, while the vanquished will suffer the same fate as the Mumbai Indians, facing elimination from this season's race.

RCB's transformation between their initial six matches and their most recent five is akin to witnessing two different teams on the field. Since their narrow defeat to the Sunrisers Hyderabad, falling short by just 25 runs in a pursuit of 288, RCB's batting lineup has undergone a remarkable revival. Their lowest total in the last five encounters stands at 152, achieved while chasing down 148 against the Gujarat Titans in Bengaluru. A resurgence led by Faf du Plessis finding form and a solid top four, featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, du Plessis, Will Jacks, and Rajat Patidar.

Du Plessis has notched up two half-centuries in the recent five matches, contributing to RCB's increased scoring rate in the powerplay, soaring to 12.3 runs per over compared to their earlier 8.27. This shift has allowed for Jacks and Patidar to anchor the innings during the middle overs, capitalizing on additional risks taken in the initial phase. With more adept spin-hitters at their disposal, RCB has upped their scoring rate to 11.03 in the middle overs since April 15, a stark improvement from their 8.41 in previous matches.

This batting resurgence has also liberated Kohli, who has maintained consistency throughout IPL 2024, evident in his surge in strike rate from 141.77 in the first six games to 158.15 in the recent five matches. These factors set the stage for a crucial clash against PBKS at an opportune moment for RCB.

PBKS have proven to be formidable away contenders but have struggled to find their footing at home. Having rotated between three home venues - Mohali, Dharamsala, and the latest addition Mullanpur - in the past two seasons, PBKS' home discomfort is apparent. In IPL 2024, they have secured victories in three out of five away fixtures but have stumbled to only one win in six encounters at home. With the lowest home win percentage over the last two seasons, PBKS' final showdown at Dharamsala in IPL 2024 against RCB holds significant weight.

PBKS vs RCB Live Streaming Details

The IPL 2024 match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network. Viewers can also watch the live stream of the PBKS vs RCB match on the JioCinema app and website.

PBKS vs RCB Toss

In Dharamsala, captains winning the toss have opted to bowl in the three IPL matches since last year and only once have gone on to win the match. However, the trend to opt for bowling first may continue in this match as well because the teams have preferred to chase rather than defend in IPL 2024.

PBKS vs RCB Pitch Report

Dharamsala has introduced a groundbreaking 'hybrid pitch', marking a first in India. Engineered to deliver uniform bounce and sustain its quality over the duration of the match, this innovative pitch sets a new standard in cricket surfaces.

PBKS vs RCB Weather Conditions

By evening, Dharamsala anticipates a temperature hovering at approximately 20 degrees Celsius, with a perceived temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. Humidity is projected to settle around 44%. Although there's a 61% probability of rain throughout the day, the evening forecasts no precipitation.

PBKS vs RCB Head to Head

Throughout IPL history, Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have battled it out on 32 occasions. Among these showdowns, PBKS emerged triumphant in 17 matches, while Bangalore clinched victories in 15 encounters. PBKS posted their highest total against the Royal Challengers, amassing a formidable 232 runs, whereas RCB's highest tally against PBKS stands at 226 runs.

PBKS vs RCB Playing 11 Prediction

Shikhar Dhawan remains absent from the squad's journey to Dharamsala, suggesting that they will likely maintain the same line-up that propelled them to victory in two out of their last three matches.

After a prolonged hiatus, Glenn Maxwell made his comeback in RCB's triumph over the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, chipping in with a crucial wicket while remaining untested with the bat. However, in the subsequent encounter, he endured a duck, extending his barren spell. RCB faces the dilemma of persisting with Maxwell or contemplating the inclusion of Reece Topley, whose array of variations could prove effective on a surface favoring slower bowlers, as seen in the PBKS-CSK match. The probable Impact Sub swap appears to be between Patidar and Yash Dayal once again.

RCB Probable 11: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (capt), Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Swapnil Singh, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Dayal (12th Man)

PBKS Probable 11: Prabhsimran Singh, Jonny Bairstow, Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Ashutosh Sharma, Sam Curran (capt), Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh (12th Man)

PBKS vs RCB Squads

Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Matthew Short, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Sikandar Raza, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Shivam Singh, Harshal Patel, Chris Woakes, Ashutosh Sharma, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Shashank Singh, Tanay Thyagarajann, Prince Choudhary, Rilee Rossouw.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Faf du Plessis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh, Saurav Chauhan.