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Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals – IPL preview

REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

Punjab Kings put their unbeaten IPL 2026 streak on the line against Rajasthan Royals in New Chandigarh, with top-of-the-table and playoff positioning at stake.

Punjab face Rajasthan at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Punjab sit top of the table with 13 points from seven matches, while Rajasthan are fourth with 10 points from eight games.

Match context

Punjab arrive unbeaten in their last five completed matches, including wins over Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants. Their only dropped points came in a washout earlier in the campaign. Rajasthan’s form has dipped slightly, with one win in their last four matches, including a recent loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad.

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Key stats

Punjab’s batting depth has been central to their run. Shreyas Iyer, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly have all passed 200 runs this season. Rajasthan rely heavily on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has 357 runs in eight innings, including a century in the previous match, while Yashasvi Jaiswal continues to provide consistent starts.

With the ball, Jofra Archer leads Rajasthan’s attack with 13 wickets, while Punjab’s pace unit, including Arshdeep Singh, has delivered control across phases.

Head-to-head

Rajasthan hold a slight edge historically, winning 17 of the 30 meetings compared to Punjab’s 13. Last season, both teams won once each, underlining how evenly matched this fixture has been.

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Pitch and conditions

The New Chandigarh surface has favoured batters, with scores regularly exceeding 200. The ball carries well, allowing aggressive stroke play, but bowlers who vary pace and hit consistent lengths have still found success.

Betting angle

Punjab Kings (1.70) start as favourites over Rajasthan Royals (2.15). Markets suggest a high-scoring game, with both total fours (32.5) and sixes (22.5) lines evenly priced at 1.85. Punjab are marginally backed for most fours (1.85), while Rajasthan edge the six-hitting market at 2.05.

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The takeaway

Punjab’s consistency and depth make them the benchmark side in IPL 2026. Rajasthan have match-winners but need collective output. If Punjab’s top order delivers again, they remain well placed to extend their unbeaten run.

Photo: REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

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