Punjab Kings will host Royal Challengers Bangalore in match no 58 of IPL 2024 on Thursday, 9th May, at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala. Both sides have won only four out of eleven matches this season and are sitting in the seventh (RCB) and eighth (PBKS) positions of the points table. 

RCB and PBKS have already faced each other once this season and RCB won that encounter at home by four wickets after chasing down 177 runs. RCB hopes to double that but PBKS will try to deliver a better performance this time. From possible playing XIs to Dream11 team predictions, here is everything you need to know about the PBKS vs RCB match in IPL 2024.

Read Also: "We want to focus on playing good cricket..:" Hardik Pandya after Mumbai's victory against SRH

Match Details

• Match: Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - IPL 2024

• Date: 8/5/2024

• Time: 7:30 pm

• Venue: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamshala

How to watch the PBKS vs RCB IPL 2024 Match?

The Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL 2024 match will be televised on Star Sports Network. All the Indian Premier League matches will be streamed free on the Jio Cinema app and website.

Pitch & Weather Report

The pitch in Dharamsala is known for its pace, bounce, and movement. The seamers always get help from the pitch. The movement and bounce available during the powerplay are vital for the bowling side. The Spinners generally get no help from this pitch as no turn is available from the track. At this pitch, the team that wins the toss chooses typically to bowl first and chase the target.

The temperature will be around 23 degrees Celsius. Humidity of about 42 percent is expected but there is no chance of rain.

PBKS vs RCB: Head-to-Head Record

Out of the 32 encounters between RCB and PBKS, Punjab have won 17 matches while Royal Challengers Bangalore have won 15. In the last 4 meetings, it's all square at 2-2 between RCB and PBKS.

Matches Played	32
PBKS won	17
RCB Won	15
No Result	0

Read Also: ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Squads of Every Team

Team News

Punjab Kings

PBKS are coming into this game after a huge loss against Chennai. Bairstow couldn't add more than just 7 runs in the last game. Prabhsimran was looking good but lost his wicket following a wrong judgment. Jitesh Sharma, Ashutosh Sharma, and Sam Curran added only 10 runs in total which is disappointing. Shashank Singh was playing some great shots but didn't get the support he needed.

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐡-𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 personified! 🔥#SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings #JazbaHaiPunjabi #TATAIPL2024 pic.twitter.com/YjTz74agbf

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 8, 2024

Rilee Rossouw was out for a duck as the whole batting unit was simply a flop against Chennai at Dharamshala. Shikhar Dhawan has not traveled with the side to Dharamsala, so the same players are expected to play against RCB. Harshal Patel and Rahul Chahar picked up three wickets each in the last match while Arshdeep scalped two.

Arshdeep Singh did concede 42 runs though which is not a good thing. Rabada has been decent this season. He hasn't been the best bowler for the Kings but the others have stepped up here and there. Harpreet Brar bowled only one over in the previous game and went for 19 runs so he will try to improve against RCB not to forget, he always turns up against Bangalore.

Doing a 𝙆𝙖𝙗𝙖𝙙𝙖 of shoes, stumps and everything. Just 𝙍𝙖𝙗𝙖𝙙𝙖 things! 🔥#SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings #JazbaHaiPunjabi #TATAIPL2024 | @KagisoRabada25 pic.twitter.com/gxRr8fHjI8

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 7, 2024

Royal Challengers Bangalore

RCB have registered only four victories after featuring in eleven games but three of those came in the previous three games. Virat Kohli is in great form and providing his side with a good start from his end in almost every game. Faf is not having an excellent season but he looked in some brilliant touch in the previous game. The duo is expected to start once again for RCB in the game against PBKS.

Just the 🐐 looking for new mountains to scale 🏔️👀#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2024 pic.twitter.com/3diEMePBj2

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 8, 2024

Rajat Patidar and Glenn Maxwell have the responsibility to handle the middle-order batting which they haven't done so far this season. Patidar has played three or four good innings here and there but Maxwell hasn't. Will Jacks will come into bat at no 3 and he needs to bring some consistency in his batting. Dinesh Karthik has played lots of brilliant innings for RCB this season and has taken the responsibility to score runs consistently at lower down the order.

Mass hero entry! 😎#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2024 pic.twitter.com/hMPoYlsWKB

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 8, 2024

RCB only have three games left in their hands and the hopes for the playoffs are still there. The issues in bowling have been resolved a lot lately. Mohammed Siraj who was struggling to bowl one decent over, is bowling quite confidently in the last couple of games.

Bangalore don't have a good spin bowler in their squad to handle the middle overs. They let go of Chahal and haven't been able to replace him with someone else. Yash Dayal has bowled some sensational spells this season and he is the most important bowler for the Royals right now. Cameron Green is also bowling some important overs and he has been really good with the bowling so far.

Coming at you in 3...2...1...

The Vyshak Express is all set to roar again. 🚅#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2024 pic.twitter.com/1zTg0Ae8jI

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 8, 2024

Vyshak picked up two wickets in the last game with a good economy so his selection is a must against PBKS in Dharamshala. RCB would try to extend their winning streak and double over PBKS on Thursday.

Possible XIs

Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran(C), Jitesh Sharma(WK), Ashutosh Sharma, Shashank Singh, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

Impact Player Subs: Shikhar Dhawan, Harpreet Singh, A Taide, Shivam Singh, Prince Choudhary, LS Livingstone, Sikandar Raza, R Dhawan, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Chris Woakes, T Thyagarajan, RD Chahar, Nathan Ellis, Vidhwath Kaverappa

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis(C), Virat Kohli, Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Swapnil Singh, Dinesh Karthik(WK), Karn Sharma, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Siraj

Impact Player Subs: Anuj Rawat, SS Prabhudessai, S Chauhan, MK Lomror, M Bhandage, TK Curran, MJ Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, RJW Topley, Rajan Kumar, Alzarri Joseph, Himanshu Sharma, LH Ferguson, Akash Deep

Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore: Dream XI Team Prediction

 

RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute? Yes! Fans are planning a special "wear white" initiative and asking the crowd to show up in whites for the upcoming RCB vs KKR match at Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 17, 2025.

As the IPL is set to resume tomorrow, and we will witness Virat Kohli play his first match after his announcement of test retirement, fans are organising a heartfelt tribute for the King!

The viral spread of white wave

A fan-driven moment is going viral recently where they call the crowd to wear white for a collective tribute to Virat Kohli after his test retirement.

Whether you have a test jersey or not, all they ask for is wearing anything white instead of the jerseys of IPL franchises.

Discussions on Reddit

The white tribute takes shape on reddit as fans try to reach out as much as possible.

Fans pledge to wear white in Instagram comments

Fans leave heartfelt messages on comments section of official Royal Challengers Bengaluru Instagram page.

Hashtags like #WearWhiteForVirat, #KohliTestTribute, and #KohliTestFarewell are the ones people are using to make this a trend before the upcoming IPL 2025 match.

Content Creators spreading the word

Many content creators have joined hands to support this initiative and they are getting huge responses.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cricket Machas (@cricketmachas)

Harsha Bhogle reacts on Twitter 

Hey @RCBTweets fans, are you planning to turn up in white for the game on the 17th? Remember seeing a post suggesting that. It will be incredible and a sight for the ages if true and if you can pull it off.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 15, 2025

The comments section in response to the initiative is getting flooded with comments like "Count me in," and "Wearing white with pride!" 

Many are tagging their acquaintance with messages like "@[friends username] Let's do it!"

Will you show up on May 17 at Chinnaswamy Stadium in whites too?

As IPL 2025 faced disruptions and was suspended on 9th May, 2025, most of the overseas players returned back to their respective home countries.

The tournament is set to resume from 17th May, 2025, and it raises a crucial question about how many overseas players can rejoin their franchises.

Given their international commitments and other issues, check out the overseas players who might not come for the remainder of the tournament in IPL 2025 for each team.

IPL 2025 Points Table

Firstly, see where each team stands before the tournament resumes.

Read Also: Top 5 underrated players in IPL 2025

Overseas players return status for the remainder of IPL 2025

The 18th season of Indian Premier League (IPL) will resume on May 17 after a week-long break with the remaining seven teams in contention for playoffs. According to the revised IPL 2025 schedule, the remaining 13 league matches will be played across six venues. The league stage commences on May 27.

The revised IPL 2025 schedule meant a few teams will be deprived of home advantage. While Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (16 points each) are most likely to enter the final four, things could get tight for the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings.

Also Read: Top 5 underrated players in IPL 2025

Ahead of the IPL 2025 resumption, let's take a look at the qualification scenarios of all the seven teams in contention for playoffs. Notably, Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad are officially out from the race to playoffs.

Only five teams can reach to the 18-point mark after the league stage. That means, 18 points could possibly be the cut-off for the teams in the race for playoffs.

IPL 2025 Points Table before resumption

Rank	Teams	Matches	Win	Loss	NR	Points	NRR
1	Gujarat Titans	11	8	3	0	16	+0.793
2	Royal Challengers Bengaluru	11	8	3	0	16	+0.482
3	Punjab Kings	11	7	3	1	15	+0.376
4	Mumbai Indians	12	7	5	0	14	+1.156
5	Delhi Capitals	11	6	4	1	13	+0.362
6	Kolkata Knight Riders	12	5	6	1	11	+0.193
7	Lucknow Super Giants	11	5	6	0	10	-0.469
8	Sunrisers Hyderabad (E)	11	3	7	1	7	-1.192
9	Rajasthan Royals (E)	12	3	9	0	6	-0.718
10	Chennai Super Kings (E)	12	3	9	0	6	-0.992

Gujarat Titans (16 points)

With eight wins from 11 games, the Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans need just a win shy of confirming their place in the last four stage. They still have three games left in the league stage.

Remaining Games: vs DC (May 18), vs LSG (May 22), vs CSK (May 25)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (16 points)

Just like Gujarat Titans, RCB are also just a win away from securing their spot in the last four stage. RCB also have three games left, including two at home, starting with a clash against KKR.

Remaining Games: vs KKR (May 17), vs SRH (May 23), vs LSG (May 27)

Punjab Kings (15 points)

Punjab Kings breathed a sigh of relief when it was announced their called-off game against Delhi Capitals will be replayed. With three games left, Punjab Kings could possibly reach 21 points, thus securing their first playoff spot over a decade.

Remaining Games: vs RR (May 18), vs DC (May 24), vs MI (May 26)

Mumbai Indians (14 points)

After losing a few matches initially, Mumbai Indians won six matches on the bounce to enter the top four. The Hardik Pandya-led side need to win their final two games to enter the playoffs without needing a help from others. In case, Mumbai Indians lose one, they will be locked at 16 points and would hope Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals falter.

Remaining Games: vs DC (May 21), vs PBKS (May 26)

Delhi Capitals (13 points)

Despite making a roaring start with five wins in their first six matches, Delhi Capitals lost the plot to find themselves out of the top four in the points table. With 13 points in the pocket and three games left to play, Delhi Capitals need to win all their remaining matches to ensure smooth entry into knockouts.

Remaining Games: vs GT (May 18), vs MI (May 21), vs PBKS (May 24)

Also Read: IPL 2025 to resume from 17th May: Here is the revised schedule

Kolkata Knight Riders (11 points)

Things look dicey for defending champions KKR who have won five and lost six so far. Rain played spoilsport in one of their games. With two games left, KKR could go to 15 points even if they win their remaining games. KKR would also hope for other teams to falter in order to get a crack into the last four stage. For KKR to go through, Punjab Kings need to lose all their games.

Remaining Games: vs RCB (May 17), vs SRH (May 25)

Lucknow Super Giants (10 points)

With a new captain in Rishabh Pant, LSG need to win their remaining three games to get to a maximum of 16 points. Like KKR, LSG too need to look at other teams for a change of fortune. Even if LSG win their last three games, they would Mumbai Indian and Delhi Capital to not win more than one game.

Remaining Games: vs SRH (May 19), vs GT (May 22), vs RCB (May 27)

In IPL, beyond the big names and celebrated players, we come across some pure talents who are underrated gems. Just like other seasons, IPL 2025 have quite a lot of underrated players to have unleashed their potential.

Discover the top 5 underrated players in IPL 2025 you might have overlooked!

5. Digvesh Singh Rathi | LSG

Digvesh Rathi made his IPL debut this season and has proved to be a key bowler for Lucknow Super Giants. He was picked up at his base price, 30 lakhs, by the team. Even though he soon went viral for his quirky "notebook" celebration, his performance remains underrated.

Digvesh took 12 wickets in 11 matches, with an economy of 8.09. LSG are in a must-win situation in the tournament, with doubts surrounding their playoff chances, and this man can prove to be crucial for them.

He strengthens the bowling unit and has the intensity to push towards the best.

 Digvesh Rathi IPL 2025 stats

• Matches: 11
• Wickets: 12
• Economy: 8.09
• Best bowling figures: 2/30

Read Also | Best Celebrations of IPL 2025 so far: From Abhishek's papercut to Hasaranga's Pushpa move

4. Ashutosh Sharma | DC

Ashutosh Sharma, who made his debut in IPL 2024, is a run machine in the lower order. He is a big support system of Delhi Capitals' batting unit, and has made it evident by delivering a match-winning knock of 66* runs from 31 balls against LSG.

Ashutosh has the power to change the narrative of the game with his hard-hitting abilities. He also holds the record for the fastest fifty in T20 by an Indian player by scoring 50 off 11 balls in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023.

He has scored an impressive 186 runs in 8 innings that he has played so far in IPL 2025, with a strike rate above 165.

Ashutosh Sharma IPL 2025 stats

• Innings: 8
• Runs: 186
• Batting Avg: 31.00
• Highest Score: 66*
• Strike rate: 167.57

Read Also | IPL Records: Youngest Half-centurions in IPL History

3. Noor Ahmad | CSK 

Noor Ahmad, the Afghan spinner, is a prominent name in the squad of Chennai Super Kings this year. He always stood up for the CSK in crucial times, regardless of their overall team performance. 

Noor's contribution has been constant in terms of bowling, however, it has been overshadowed by the standings of CSK in the points table. He picked up 20 wickets in 12 matches, and holds the second position in the race for the Purple cap in IPL 2025.

Noorh Ahmad IPL 2025 stats

• Matches: 12
• Wickets: 20
• Economy: 8.02
• Best bowling figures: 4/18

Read Also | IPL Table toppers: IPL Playoffs teams from 2008 to 2024

2. Suyash Sharma | RCB

Suyash Sharma is a mystery spinner for Royal Challengers Bengaluru this season, who is having a great season so far. He has been a surprise addition to their bowling unit and has quickly earned his trusted place in the playing XI for almost every match.

His power of obstructing the run flow while defending low scores has been surprising to watch. Though he has picked up only 4 wickets in 10 matches for RCB so far, he has bowled some tight spells under pressure for Rajat Patidar this season.

Suyash Sharma IPL 2025 stats

• Matches: 10
• Wickets: 4
• Economy: 8.26
• Best bowling figures: 2/26

1. Prabhsimran Singh | PBKS

Prabhsimran Singh is a power-packed opener for the Punjab Kings squad this year. He has been extremely consistent this year and formed an iconic destructive duo with the young batter, Priyansh Arya.

He scored 4 fifties this season, with his highest being 91 runs. He scored a total of 437 runs in 11 innings so far. He is one of the budding contenders in the race for the Orange cap in IPL 2025.

• Innings: 11
• Runs: 437
• Batting Avg: 39.73
• Highest Score: 91
• Strike rate: 170.07

Virat Kohli's decision to step away from tests makes it a key question to ask, observe and analyse its effects on fans and their engagement with Test cricket.

People on the internet are talking about the closure of a big chapter. So, now that the chapter is closed, it will be crucial to check if the fans still embrace the long format.

Let's dive into the depths of this particular question that will rise in the days ahead: Will Indian fans lose interest in Test cricket after Virat Kohli's retirement?

Kohli's unmatched influence on Test cricket fandom

Virat Kohli has left his mark and impact beyond just his bat and performance. The sentimental connection fans had with him in tests is hard to put into words.

Considering India had exceptional test cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar, what is it about this man that his test exit is feeling like an irreplaceable void?

• Virat Kohli is the most successful Indian Test captain and holds the record for most victories, with 40 wins in total.
• His captaincy at home soil was exceptional, which showed everyone how dominant the Indian team can be, winning 24 out of 31 matches.
• Kohli's presence in Tests was unique. He inspired millions of fans to watch the format, who were drawn by his presence and performance.
• He fundamentally reshaped the Test landscape for India by proving the entire world that this country is equally good in Test just like other formats.
• Kohli's on-field intensity made every moment iconic for the teammates and fans to watch.
• He holds the record for scoring the most double centuries as an Indian batter, with 7 double centuries in his career. 
• Kohli's hunger for doing better and delivering crucial knocks and centuries for the team has drawn so many non-cricket fans to watch this format.
• Fans felt a strong emotional connection to his journey, following the highs and lows, and his commitment to winning for India.

Read Also: Most successful Test captains from India

What could Kohli's absence mean for the Test in India?

Virat Kohli's role in this format has been significant, on and off the ground. The reaction of fans after his retirement news made it clear how he has defined an entire generation's perception of the format.

Social media is flooded with posts and comments like "End of an Era," "Test cricket won't be the same without the King," "Grew up watching him fire in tests, a part of our childhood is gone today," and many others.

While some people are recalling those "memories and battles," some are acknowledging "the irreplaceable void and future of test cricket for India."

Read Also: "End of an era": Cricketing world reacts to Virat Kohli's test retirement

The kind of reaction and energy from the fandom makes it obvious to speculate how challenging it can be to keep the same level of interest in tests now. It makes it even questionable as the former captain, Rohit Sharma, has also decided to retire from Test cricket, days before Kohli's retirement.

The whole nation will definitely miss Ro-Ko in tests. But will it affect their interest in this format?

It will be a vital thing to keep an eye on in the future.