Punjab Kings are favorites to beat Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026 Match 40 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, on April 28, 2026.
PBKS hold a 59–63% win probability. They are the only unbeaten team in IPL 2026 with six wins and one washout from seven outings.
RR arrives in difficult form. Three losses in four games, including a 228-run collapse against SRH, have exposed a middle-order fragility that PBKS’s bowling lineup is well equipped to target.
This is a top-four clash between the table leaders and a side fighting to stay in that conversation.
PBKS vs RR Match 40 Direct Odds
Punjab Kings are backed on the strength of an unbeaten home record and the deepest batting lineup in the tournament.
Rajasthan Royals offer punters value based on a historically superior head-to-head record and the most destructive opening pair in IPL 2026.
| Team | Win Probability | Decimal Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Punjab Kings | 59–63% | 1.60 – 1.70 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 37–41% | 2.25 – 2.45 |
Punjab Super Kings are backed at 1.60–1.70, reflecting their unbeaten home record at Mullanpur and superior chasing ability.
RR offer returns at 2.25–2.45 for punters backing Suryavanshi and Jaiswal to fire and Archer to dismantle PBKS’s top order.
PBKS vs RR Match 40 Info Table
| Match | Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals |
|---|---|
| Match Number | IPL 2026 Match 40 |
| Date & Time | Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 7:30 PM IST |
| Venue | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur |
| PBKS Captain | Shreyas Iyer |
| RR Captain | Riyan Parag |
| Live Streaming | JioHotstar App & Website |
| TV Telecast | Star Sports Network |
| Points Table | PBKS: 1st (13 pts, 6W-0L-1NR) |
PBKS vs RR Toss Prediction Odds
The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium is one of IPL’s more balanced toss venues. It does not heavily favour chasing in the way Wankhede or Chinnaswamy do.
Bat-first teams have won 4 of 9 IPL games here (44%), which is the most balanced toss record of any current IPL venue. Light dew is expected, but not heavy enough to make the decision automatic.
The average first innings score at this ground in IPL 2026 is 211. Both PBKS and RR prefer chasing, so the toss winner is still expected to bowl first despite the more neutral surface.
Weather: partly cloudy, 34 to 29°C at match time, no rain risk. Light dew expected after the 14th over.
Toss Impact at Mullanpur
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Bat-first win rate (all IPL here) | 44% (4 of 9) |
| Chase-win rate (all IPL here) | 56% (5 of 9) |
| Average first innings score (IPL 2026) | 211 runs |
| Highest team total at the venue | 254/7 by PBKS vs LSG (IPL 2026) |
| Dew Factor | Light arrives around 14-16 |
| Weather | Partly cloudy, 34-29°C, no rain |
| Expected Toss Decision | Bowl First |
Toss Prediction: Both captains will lean toward bowling first. PBKS have chased every target successfully this season. RR’s last two wins both came in chases. Expect fielding first from whoever wins the toss.
PBKS vs RR Players Odds
Two contrasting batting styles collide here. PBKS have six genuine power-hitters across positions one through six. RR has the most destructive opening pair in the tournament, but a middle order that has wilted in three of their last four games.
Punjab Kings Key Players
| Player | Role | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Priyansh Arya | Opening Batsman | 254 runs in 6 innings @ SR 250 in IPL 2026; PBKS’s fastest scorer in the powerplay; named player to watch by CricTracker |
| Prabhsimran Singh | Opening WK-Batsman | Over 200 runs in IPL 2026; multiple fifties this season; the consistent engine alongside Arya at the top |
| Shreyas Iyer | Captain / Batsman | Four fifties in six innings; averages close to 70 in IPL 2026; scored an unbeaten 71 while chasing 265 against DC; the anchor who has been PBKS’s most reliable match-winner under pressure |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | Leg Spinner | 18 career wickets in 14 games vs RR @ economy 6.46; his record against this specific opponent is exceptional; the middle-overs spinner most likely to expose RR’s fragile batting after the powerplay |
| Arshdeep Singh | Lead Pacer | PBKS’s death-bowling specialist; taken wickets across most games despite a slightly elevated economy rate this season; Jaiswal averages 42 against PBKS, making early dismissal the primary goal for Arshdeep |
Rajasthan Royals Key Players
| Player | Role | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Vaibhav Suryavanshi | Opening Batsman | 357 runs in 8 innings @ SR 235 in IPL 2026; scored a 36-ball century against SRH in the last game; the first batter to score 50 inside the first six overs four times for RR in the IPL |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Opening Batsman | Over 200 career runs vs PBKS at avg 42+; two fifties vs Punjab in IPL 2025; the composed, consistent half of RR’s explosive opening partnership |
| Jofra Archer | Lead Pacer | 13 wickets in IPL 2026; RR’s joint leading wicket-taker; bowling at 150 kph with late swing; the only bowler on either side capable of dismissing PBKS’s top three before they get set |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Leg Spinner | 11 wickets in IPL 2026; returns to face his former franchise for the first time at Mullanpur; the middle-overs partnership of Bishnoi and Jadeja is RR’s best tactical weapon if the surface slows after over 10 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | All-rounder | Left-arm spin control in overs 12-16 plus middle-order batting depth; valuable on a Mullanpur surface that slows after the 10th over and rewards variation over pace |
Player to Watch: Yuzvendra Chahal against RR’s middle order is the decisive individual contest. His 18 career wickets at an economy of 6.46 against RR is the best individual bowling record in this head-to-head rivalry. When Suryavanshi and Jaiswal depart, Chahal operates against exactly the fragile middle order that has cost RR three of their last four matches. If he picks up two wickets in four overs in the 11th-16th over window, PBKS’s win probability climbs to 75 percent or higher.
PBKS vs RR Match Prediction – Who Will Win
Punjab Kings to win
PBKS are the tournament’s form team. They are the only side with a perfect home record at Mullanpur. They chased 265 in the last game. Six batters are averaging over 30 this season.
RR has serious individual quality, but a team that has collapsed between overs 10-15 in three of its last four games is not equipped to beat a side this settled.
Why PBKS Holds the Edge
- 3-0 home record at Mullanpur in IPL 2026: PBKS know this surface, these conditions, and these dew patterns better than any visiting team. Three 200-plus totals at this venue this season confirm they have cracked the code of batting here.
- Six batters with 200-plus runs this season: Prabhsimran, Priyansh, Connolly, Iyer, Stoinis, and Shashank Singh have all crossed 200 runs. Even if RR gets two early wickets, four more match-winners wait in the pavilion.
- Chahal’s record vs RR is the best individual bowling stat in this rivalry: 18 wickets at economy 6.46 across 14 games. The slow Mullanpur surface after the 10th over turns into Chahal’s personal playground.
- RR have lost three of their last four games: Form trends in T20 cricket are short, sharp, and meaningful. A team in this dip, away from home, against the tournament’s only unbeaten side, is not the team to back on current evidence.
RR’s Challenges
- RR’s middle order has collapsed in overs 10-15 repeatedly: When Suryavanshi and Jaiswal depart, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, and Donovan Ferreira have not been able to consistently build innings of substance.
- Shimron Hetmyer has scored just 72 runs in six innings: A finisher with that return is not contributing the death-overs value that RR need when their top order falls early.
- RR failed to defend 228 against SRH in their last game: Their bowling has been unable to defend competitive totals in the last two home fixtures. At Mullanpur, against PBKS’s best batting lineup in years, that bowling vulnerability matters enormously.
- Tom Curran is unavailable: His absence removes a key death-bowling option and reduces RR’s bowling variety at the crease, particularly the scrambled-seam threat that had troubled batters earlier in the season.
- Bishnoi returns to his former franchise: Returning to a ground where you know the conditions intimately cuts both ways. But PBKS’s batting lineup knows his full repertoire. Every captain, every number three and four batter will have faced him extensively in the nets.
Match Prediction: Punjab Kings to win.
PBKS vs RR Head To Head (Overall Head To Head Data)
RR led the overall head-to-head 17-13 across 30 IPL meetings. The historical record firmly favours the Royals.
But the Mullanpur-specific record is exactly 1-1 across two meetings. Neither team holds a venue advantage at this ground. RR won their 2025 visit; PBKS won the only other encounter here.
In the last five meetings between these sides, RR have won three. That recent head-to-head edge is the primary statistical argument for backing RR at their current odds.
Last IPL 2025 season: Both teams split the honours, with RR winning in New Chandigarh and PBKS winning in Jaipur.
| Statistic | Record |
|---|---|
| Total Matches Played | 30 |
| RR Wins | 17 |
| PBKS Wins | 13 |
| No Result / Tied | 0 |
| H2H at Mullanpur | 1-1 (one win each) |
| RR wins in the last 5 meetings | 3 |
| Chahal’s career wickets vs RR | 18 in 14 games @ economy 6.46 |
| Suryavanshi’s career IPL 2026 runs | 357 in 8 innings @ SR 235 |
| Jaiswal’s career runs vs PBKS | 200+ runs @ avg 42+ |
Individually, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s record against PBKS is the standout batting metric. His 200-plus career runs against this specific opponent, with two fifties in 2025 alone, make him statistically the most dangerous batter in this particular head-to-head matchup. On the other hand, Chahal’s 18 wickets at 6.46 economy against RR across his career is the most significant bowling statistic in this rivalry. These two individual metrics define what this match is likely to come down to: how many runs Jaiswal scores before Chahal dismisses him.
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Final Verdict
PBKS vs RR Match 40 at Mullanpur is the IPL 2026’s most eagerly anticipated game so far. The tournament’s only unbeaten team is hosting a title contender at a venue they have made their fortress.
Punjab Kings hold clear advantages: an unbeaten home record, the deepest batting lineup in the competition, and a bowler in Chahal who has historically dominated this specific opponent.
Rajasthan Royals hold a trump card: two of the most explosive openers in world T20 cricket in Suryavanshi and Jaiswal, and a pace attack in Archer and Burger that is capable of dismantling PBKS’s top order before Shreyas Iyer can steady the ship.
Expect a first innings score in the 200-215 range. The match will be decided between overs 11-16, when Chahal and Bishnoi operate against each side’s middle orders. Back PBKS, but mark this game down as the one most likely to produce an upset result in Match 40.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Betting involves financial risk. Please gamble responsibly.
