PBKS vs RCB Match 61 2nd Innings Dream11 Prediction IPL (17 May)

Punjab Kings (PBKS) host Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Match 61 of IPL 2026 on Sunday, 17 May, at the HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala. The afternoon match begins at 3:30 PM IST in a high-stakes playoff decider.

RCB top the points table with 16 points and need just one more win to confirm a playoff berth. Virat Kohli arrives in devastating form after a century vs KKR. PBKS have lost five straight and face virtual elimination with defeat. Passing showers are possible. For 2nd innings fantasy, target altitude-boosted pace bowlers, in-form top-order batters, and all-rounders who contribute across both phases at Dharamsala.

PBKS vs RCB Match 61 Match Details

Match Detail	Info
Match	PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2026 — Match 61
Date	Sunday, 17 May 2026
Time	3:30 PM IST (Toss at 3:00 PM IST)
Venue	HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
Broadcast	Star Sports, JioHotstar
PBKS Captain	Shreyas Iyer
RCB Captain	Rajat Patidar
Head-to-Head	RCB leads 19–18 (across 37 IPL meetings)

Our Dream11 Team Recommendation for PBKS vs RCB Match 61 (2nd Innings)

The points start after the 2nd innings begins, so build your team based on the 2nd innings only.

Dream11 Team 1 (2nd Innings)

PBKS vs RCB Match 61 (2nd Innings) Dream11 Team 1

Dream11 Team 2 (2nd Innings)

PBKS vs RCB Match 61 (2nd Innings) Dream11 Team 2

Dream11 Team 3 (2nd Innings)

PBKS vs RCB Match 61 (2nd Innings) Dream11 Team 3

PBKS vs RCB Match 61 Weather Report (17 May, Dharamsala)

Weather Parameter	Details
Match-Time Temperature	~18–22°C at 3:30 PM IST; cool Kangra valley afternoon conditions
Humidity	Moderate (~50–52%); overcast sky expected throughout the afternoon
Wind Speed	Light breeze, 7–10 km/h; mountain gusts possible in the second innings
Rain Probability	25–35% — passing showers forecast; cloudy conditions throughout with short rain spells possible
Dew Factor	No dew factor for this afternoon fixture; dry mountain air remains throughout
Match Interruption Risk	Moderate — HPCA sub-air drainage system clears the field in approximately 20 minutes; a D/L result is possible if showers arrive in bursts

Pitch Report – HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala

Pitch Parameter	Details
Pitch Type	Two-paced surface with patches that offer true pace and bounce alongside areas that slow down after pitching; moisture under the surface following recent rain adds seam movement for pace bowlers
Avg 1st Innings Score (IPL 2026)	195–200 runs; both IPL 2026 matches here produced 200-plus scores and both targets were successfully chased; this is a very high-scoring venue overall with an average of 371 combined runs per game across all IPL matches at Dharamsala
Toss Decision	Bowling first preferred; both chasing teams won their matches at Dharamsala in IPL 2026; teams batting second have won 56% of matches at this venue in recent seasons
Pace Assist	Excellent across all phases; altitude at 1,457 metres generates additional swing, seam movement, and sharp carry to the keeper; afternoon cool air assists both left-arm and right-arm pace bowlers in the powerplay and through the death overs
Spin Assist	Moderate in middle overs; dry black soil offers some grip for wrist-spinners and orthodox left-arm; Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya are the key spinners to watch in the 7th to 15th over phase in the 2nd innings
Dew Effect	No dew impact in this afternoon fixture; both innings play out under identical conditions; bowlers retain full grip and effectiveness right through the death overs in the 2nd innings

PBKS vs RCB Head-to-Head Record

Category	PBKS	RCB
Overall IPL Wins	18	19
Total IPL Meetings	37	37
Last Meeting (IPL 2026)	Lost	Won — Kohli scored 105 off 60 balls vs KKR most recently; RCB won 4 of last 5 vs PBKS
RCB Form (IPL 2026)	N/A	Won 8 of 12 matches; top of points table with 16 points
At HPCA Dharamsala	PBKS lost 6 of their last 7 home matches at this venue	RCB have chased successfully at Dharamsala in recent seasons

Suggested Reads

Key Players to Watch in PBKS vs RCB Match 61 for 2nd Innings Fantasy

Player	Team	Role	Key Insights
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	RCB	Bowler	The undisputed Purple Cap leader of IPL 2026 with 22 wickets in 12 matches and the most reliable bowling pick in this entire fixture.
Virat Kohli	RCB	Batter	Arrived in Dharamsala in the form of his life with 484 runs at an average of 53.78 this season and a magnificent century of 105 off 60 balls against KKR in the previous match at Raipur.
Prabhsimran Singh	PBKS	Wicketkeeper-Batter	PBKS’s most explosive powerplay batter and the perfect foil for any 2nd innings chase at a venue where the first six overs are critical.
Arshdeep Singh	PBKS	Bowler	PBKS’s premier left-arm pace weapon and the most dangerous death-over bowler at this venue; his natural left-arm angle creates problems for both right and left-handed batters in the afternoon mountain conditions where the ball swings sharply with the new ball and the cool air assists late movement right through the match.
Priyansh Arya	PBKS	Batter	The most explosive batter in IPL 2026 by strike rate among players with over 300 runs, scoring at a jaw-dropping 226.49 this season.