61st match of ipl 2026 A very exciting match was witnessed at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala. Punjab Kings (PBKS) locked horns with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) On May 17, 2026. Electing to field first after winning the toss, the Kings were keen to take advantage of the early conditions, but RCB’s explosive batting lineup had its own plans. As the boundaries rained down at the height of Dharamshala, it was the left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar Who brought back raw passion and much-needed breakthroughs into the PBKS camp during an intense first innings.
After the removal of Jacob Bethel and Devdutt Padikal, Harpreet Brar enthused the crowd with an animated message.
In a game increasingly skewed towards the batsmen, Brar emerged as Punjab’s ultimate warrior, breaking crucial partnerships and celebrating with unbridled aggression. Brar gave the first blow at the beginning of the powerplay during the third over. bowling to a dangerous opener jacob bethelBrar bowled a faster, fuller delivery at 96.3 kmph which returned sharply. Taken out of guard and tight for room while attempting to cut, Bethel (11 off 7 balls) could only cut the ball onto his stumps. Brar broke into celebration, completely ecstatic as his teammates surrounded him.
RCB rebuilt furiously, but Brar came back to deliver a masterclass in smart spin bowling in the 10th over. Devdutt Padikkal Was looking lethal with striking at 180.00, but was dismissed by Brar on the very first ball of his new spell. Stretching slightly out of its length at a speed of 95.7 kilometers per hour, the ball caught the Dharamshala surface beautifully. Padikkal closed his face too early on the cut shot, due to which the ball went straight into his palms. Shreyas Iyer on the cover. Falling just short of a half-century after scoring 45 off 25 balls, Padikkal took an incredibly animated farewell from Brar, which roared and cheered the vocal Dharamshala crowd, and ended his excellent spell with figures of 2/35.
Here is the video:
It’s safe to say, Harpreet Brar is off today 🔒🔥
🎥 He wins the Battle of the Left x 2️⃣
Update ▶️ https://t.co/3u5qL0Zn75#TATAIPL | #khelbindaas | #PBKSvRCB | @PunjabKingsIPL pic.twitter.com/0eOEaNsngu
– IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) 17 May 2026
Also read: IPL 2026: Know why RCB captain Rajat Patidar is not playing against PBKS in today’s match
RCB on track to score huge against PBKS
Despite Brar taking the timely wicket, Royal Challengers Bangalore remain firmly on track to post a mammoth total with the score at 157/3 at the end of 15 overs. The foundation of this challenging score was laid by Tabeez’s brilliant half-century Virat Kohli. Displaying excellent timing, Kohli scored 58 runs in 37 balls with four fours and three sixes, before missing a ball at the end Yuzvendra Chahal To Priyansh Arya In the 15th over.
RCB’s aggressive intent was clear from the start, crossing the 50-run mark in just 5.1 overs and maintaining the current run rate of 10.46. After Kohli’s out, Venkatesh Iyer He handled the innings with ease, scoring an unbeaten 38 runs in just 22 balls at a strike rate of 172.72. Punjab’s leading bowlers found themselves under a lot of pressure, Chahal gave 42 runs in his 3 overs. lockie ferguson Going for 12 per over. Huge score of 218 and power-hitters like predicted with live prediction Jitesh Sharma And tim david Still waiting in the dugout, RCB look all set to oust Punjab Kings from the competition completely.
Also read: Virat Kohli talks about 2027 ODI World Cup plans amid IPL 2026 season
