Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bowl first against the unbeaten Punjab Kings in the 40th match of the IPL 2026 season. The highly anticipated encounter is taking place at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. Rajasthan’s captain, Riyan Parag, cited cloudy weather and early moisture on the pitch as the primary reasons for choosing to field, expressing his hope to capitalize on the conditions and secure early wickets.
Both teams announced a few strategic changes to their playing XIs for this clash. The Rajasthan Royals swapped out Shimron Hetmyer and Ravi Bishnoi, bringing in Dasun Shanaka and Yash Punja to strengthen their lineup. On the other side, Punjab Kings made forced adjustments, with Suryansh Shedge and Lockie Ferguson stepping in to replace Shashank Singh and Xavier Bartlett.
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer noted that his side would have also preferred to bowl first, given that the pitch had been covered for the past few days due to weather conditions. However, he emphasized that his team is prepared to be proactive regardless of the toss outcome and is focused on maintaining their winning momentum. Iyer also took a moment on behalf of the PBKS squad to express heartfelt condolences to Azmat and his family during a difficult time.
