IPL 2026: Here's why PBKS can dominate RR in Mullanpur
What's the story
Punjab Kings will take on Rajasthan Royals in an exciting Match 40 of the 2026 Indian Premier League. The match will be held on Tuesday at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur. PBKS are on a roll with six wins out of seven matches (NR: 1), while RR have five wins from eight games (3 losses). Here we look at why PBKS are expected to dominate the upcoming fixture.
Pitch report
PBKS thrive in high-scoring games
The pitch in Mullanpur is known for high-scoring games with a quick outfield, making it an ideal venue for this clash of titans. Notably, PBKS chased down 265 in their last outing against Delhi Capitals. On the other hand, RR were not able to defend 228 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last assignment. Going by this pattern, the Royals bowlers are expected to have another tough day at the office.
Concerns
Middle-order a concern for RR
Though RR have been powered by their top-three batters, the middle order remains a massive concern for them. Hence, if the likes of Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh manage to make early strikes, RR would be left in a spot of bother. At the same time, PBKS's middle-order has been led by their inspiring skipper Shreyas Iyer. Though the team's top-three batters have also been among runs, the new-ball pair of Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger can trouble them.
Line-ups
Predicted line-ups for PBKS vs RR
RR (Predicted playing XII): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi. PBKS (Predicted playing XII): Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.