Punjab Kings (PBKS) host Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 55th match of IPL 2026 on Monday, May 11, 2026, at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala, starting at 7:30 PM IST. For your Dream11 team, KL Rahul is the top captain pick. He is DC’s third-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 486 runs at a strike rate of 180.00 and has a stellar record at Dharamsala where the true bounce and high-altitude conditions perfectly suit his elegant and aggressive strokeplay.
Cooper Connolly or Arshdeep Singh work well as vice-captain options, covering PBKS’s leading run-getter who dominates in the powerplay at this venue and their premier left-arm pacer who remains a proven wicket-taking force even through a difficult run of form.
PBKS vs DC Match Preview, IPL 2026
| Match Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | PBKS vs DC, IPL 2026 Match 55 |
| Date | Monday, May 11, 2026 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST |
| Venue | Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala |
| Broadcast | Star Sports, JioHotstar |
| PBKS Captain | Shreyas Iyer |
| DC Captain | Axar Patel |
| PBKS Coach | Ricky Ponting |
| Key Absentees | Ben Duckett (DC — doubtful); no confirmed absentees from PBKS |
| PBKS Season Form | 3rd place — 6 wins, 5 losses in 11 matches; lost last 3 consecutive games |
| DC Season Form | 8th place — 4 wins, 7 losses in 11 matches; lost 5 of their last 6 games |
PBKS vs DC Predicted Playing XI & Key Players
Here are the predicted playing XI and key players to watch out for from both teams.
PBKS Predicted Playing XI
PBKS Predicted XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (C), Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Player: Vijaykumar Vyshak
DC Predicted Playing XI
DC Predicted XI: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (C), Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi
Impact Player: Mukesh Kumar
PBKS vs DC Weather & Pitch Reports
| Weather Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Daytime High | 20°C (68°F) |
| Match-Time Temp | 12–18°C (54–64°F) — cool hill-station conditions throughout the evening |
| Humidity | 65–75% |
| Wind Speed | 10–15 km/h |
| Rain Probability | Moderate to High (40%) — Regional Meteorological Centre Shimla has issued a Yellow Alert for Kangra district including Dharamsala from May 11 to 15; light rain and thunderstorms possible |
| Sky Condition | Overcast to Partly Cloudy; cloud cover likely throughout the match |
| Dew Factor | Low to None — cool night temperatures and overcast conditions limit dew formation significantly |
| Match Interruption Risk | Moderate — HPCA Stadium has an excellent drainage system; light rain is unlikely to cause prolonged delays but cannot be fully ruled out |
Pitch Report — Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala
| Pitch Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Batting-Friendly with early pace assistance (high-altitude surface; true bounce, quick outfield, ball carries well throughout) |
| Avg 1st Innings Score (IPL 2026) | 176–198 runs (Dharamsala consistently produces high-scoring games; the altitude adds extra distance to aerial shots) |
| Boundary Length | Relatively compact for a hill-station venue; high altitude and thin air means the ball travels significantly further than at sea-level grounds |
| Toss Decision | Bowl first — dew is a limited factor here, but the cool evening conditions and overhead cloud make batting easier under lights; chasing teams hold an advantage in recent IPL games at this venue |
| Pace Assist | Good early swing and movement with the new ball; Starc, Arshdeep, and Lungi Ngidi will target the powerplay hard; pace remains a factor throughout given the true surface |
| Spin Assist | Minimal — the Dharamsala pitch does not grip or turn significantly; spinners are used primarily for containment; Chahal and Kuldeep will have to rely on variation and flight rather than natural turn |
| Dew Effect | Negligible — cool temperatures at altitude prevent heavy dew formation; this makes bowling conditions fairer in the second innings compared to lower-altitude IPL venues |
PBKS vs DC Dream11 Team
PBKS vs DC Head-to-Head
| Matches | PBKS Wins | DC Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | 18 | 17 (1 No Result) |
Suggested Reads:
Key Players to Watch in PBKS vs DC
| Player | Team | Role | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| KL Rahul | DC | Wicketkeeper-Batter | DC’s standout performer with 486 runs at SR 180 this season; three half-centuries and an unbeaten 152 against PBKS; Dharamsala’s pace and bounce suit him perfectly |
| Cooper Connolly | PBKS | Batsman | PBKS’s leading run-getter this season; dominant powerplay batter who uses the true Dharamsala bounce to play through the off-side and attack short-of-length deliveries |
| Marcus Stoinis | PBKS | All-rounder | Death-over destroyer with a SR of 250.00 in overs 17-20 this season; can take any game away from DC in the final five overs |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | PBKS | Bowler | Has dismissed Nitish Rana six times in IPL career; his wrist-spin variations and flight will be crucial in controlling DC’s middle order at Dharamsala |
| Mitchell Starc | DC | Bowler | DC’s most dangerous new-ball bowler; the Dharamsala surface with its true bounce and early movement is ideal for his left-arm swing to disrupt the PBKS top order |
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