The 40th match of Indian Premier League 2026 features an exciting clash between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals, as both sides look to strengthen their position in the points table. With key players in form and playoff hopes on the line, this encounter promises high-intensity cricket and strategic battles. Here’s a quick look at the match prediction and expected playing XI for both teams.
PUNJAB
RAJASTHAN
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This section covers all essential details for the Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Dream11 contest in the 40th match of the Indian Premier League 2026, including match timing, venue insights, and pitch conditions. It also highlights expert fantasy tips, probable best picks, captain and vice-captain choices, and key player battles to watch. Additionally, readers can find updated predictions, winning strategies, and information on bonus offers and odds to maximise their fantasy game approach.
Match-time conditions at Mullanpur on April 27 are expected to be around 28–29°C, with a cloudy sky and low humidity, meaning dew is unlikely to play a role. Interestingly, results at this venue have been fairly balanced—teams batting first have won 6 of 14 matches, while chasing sides have taken 8—so the toss or batting choice hasn’t been a decisive factor; execution under pressure has mattered more. Punjab Kings remain unbeaten here in IPL 2026 and sit atop the table with six wins, while Rajasthan Royals, with five victories, are in fourth place, making this a challenging contest for them unless they can successfully chase, with the Vaibhav–Yashasvi partnership likely to be crucial.
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Claim IPL bonusPunjab Kings have played seven matches, winning six with one abandoned, and currently top the table with 13 points. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals have secured five wins from eight games and sit fourth with 10 points. PBKS have been tough to contain, largely due to their explosive opening pair, and the most effective way for opponents to counter them is by breaking that early momentum—something a bowler like Jofra Archer could achieve with sharp bouncers and precise yorkers against Priyansh and Prabhsimran. If those early wickets fall, PBKS could be restricted to around 160, giving RR a realistic chase, though Punjab’s main vulnerability so far has been their inability to strike consistently in the powerplay with the ball.
Punjab Kings come into the 40th match in dominant form, with a strong top order and consistent results making them one of the toughest sides to beat this season. Rajasthan Royals, currently in the top four, have shown flashes of brilliance but will need a complete performance to challenge PBKS. This clash promises a high-intensity battle between a confident table-topper and a side looking to strengthen its playoff position.
Punjab Kings have emerged as one of the most difficult teams to contain, with very few sides able to consistently outplay them. In IPL 2025, only RCB managed to dominate them, defeating PBKS three times, while other teams struggled to gain the upper hand despite occasional breakthroughs. This season, however, the two teams have not faced each other yet, and PBKS have been in commanding form across all their matches.
So far, they have won every completed game, with the only exception being a match against KKR that was abandoned. Their upcoming clash against RR could prove crucial, as a victory there might see them become the first team to secure a playoff spot. Under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, PBKS recently also created history by successfully chasing the highest total ever recorded in T20 cricket worldwide.
The clearest path for Rajasthan Royals to gain an edge in this contest is by winning the toss and opting to bowl first. With Priyansh Arya likely to face the first ball, someone like Jofra Archer needs to attack from over the wicket with high pace (145+ km/h), mixing in hard-length deliveries and well-directed bouncers to challenge his control, especially early on. Priyansh has shown discomfort against certain lines and lengths, particularly when rushed, while Prabhsimran can also be tested with disciplined pace bowling around off stump and sharp short balls. If RR execute their plans well in the first 3–4 overs and remove one or both openers within the initial 40 runs, they can put Punjab Kings under pressure and seize control by tightening the grip on the middle order. As a matter of fact, last year RR did control the PBKS team to 150* score, with Jofra Archer did a bowled of first ball to Priyansh Arya, expect the same!
PBKS Dream XI Prediction: Shreyas Iyer (c), Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh and Xavier Bartlett (Impact Player)
RR Dream XI Prediction: Riyan Parag (c), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashaswi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferriera, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Nandre Burger and Tushar Deshpande (Impact Player)
This section highlights a standout set of predictions carefully curated by our experts for readers. So far, we’ve called 25 out of 39 predictions correctly, excluding one no-result match—delivering an accuracy rate of around 70%, a level of transparency few platforms can match. You can review all our previous picks on our IPL predictions page, and below you’ll find a range of insights covering match winners, wicket-takers, total runs, and other key match events—explore them now.