Today, the first match of the double header in IPL 2026 will be played between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Dharamshala. Last year’s finalists will face each other for the first time in this edition, which is going to be an important match from the playoff point of view. Know how the pitch of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium is going to behave in this match, who will get more advantage here among the batsmen and bowlers.

Today’s match (PBKS vs RCB) to be held at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala is the first afternoon match in this stadium this year. It will be played on the same pitch where the match with Delhi was held. Punjab Kings is in a difficult situation, the team is coming after losing the last 5 matches continuously. In front of them is Royal Challengers Bangalore, who are currently on top of the points table and by winning today, they will become the first team to reach the playoffs.

How will the weather be in Dharamshala today?

Punjab vs Bengaluru match will start at 3:30 pm, the probability of rain at this time is up to 30 percent. However, today the forecast is to remain sunny most of the time, so even if rain disrupts the match, it is unlikely that the match will be completely cancelled. The temperature will remain between 19-20 degrees Celsius during the match.

Also read- KKR stopped GT’s winning streak, the playoff battle became exciting; See what changed in the points table

PBKS vs RCB match pitch report

For the first time in IPL 2026, there is an afternoon match in Dharamshala. The chasing team has won all the 10 matches of the afternoon at the HPCA Stadium, which means today the captain winning the toss will prefer to bowl first and the team batting first will be under pressure. The pitch is suitable for batting.

The pitch of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium will be helpful for the batsmen, a high scoring match can be seen today. There should be no problem in achieving a target of around 200, but if the team batting first scores 230 or more, then there will be more pressure on the chasing team.

Fast bowlers will have an advantage here compared to spinners, in such a situation the role of fast bowlers will be important in the powerplay. At the same time, the batting team should play without taking risks in the first 2-3 overs, even if the runs are less because if the wickets are in hand, it can be covered in the middle overs.

Also read- ‘I don’t think we deserved to win…’, on whom was Shubman Gill angry after GT’s defeat

Live streaming details of PBKS vs RCB match

The Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore match will be telecast live on Star Sports Network channels. There will be live streaming on JioHotstar app and website.