IPL 2026, Match 57: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Kolkata Knight Riders Match Preview

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) square off against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match No. 57 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Wednesday, May 13.

Rajat Patidar-led RCB are currently at the top of the points table, with seven wins and four defeats from 11 matches. They have won three out of their last five games. In their most recent fixture, they defeated arch-rivals Mumbai Indians on the last ball. Bhuvneshwar Kumar starred with his all-round exploits, while Krunal Pandya made a gutsy half-century.

Virat Kohli has registered back-to-back ducks but he will be looking to bounce back strongly on Wednesday. Jacob Bethell hasn't been able to fill the shoes of Phil Salt. The defending champions would hope that the wicketkeeper gets fit in time. Rajat Patidar will look to lead from the front, while Kohli needs to bring his A-game to the fore. Josh Hazlewood has also not been that lethal since his comeback to competitive cricket after injury. Bhuvneshwar has been brilliant but he needs support from the other end.

Ajinkya Rahane's KKR have four wins and five defeats from 10 matches. Their home fixture against PBKS ended without a result earlier this season. They will look to win their remaining matches, which will give them a great chance to progress to the playoffs.

The three-time champions will be high on confidence after winning four games in a row. However, there is very little room for complacency now. Rahane and Co. need to continue on their winning streak. Finn Allen scored a match-winning ton in the last game against the Delhi Capitals. He will look to resume from where he left off.

RCB vs KKR Match Details

RCB vs KKR Head to Head record

Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur 

In the first match hosted at this venue in IPL 2026, RCB failed to chase down a 167-run target. The pitch is slow and low and the batters will have to give themselves a bit of time to settle in. The power play overs will be crucial for both teams. The new-ball bowlers would be hoping for some movement, while the spinners would come in handy through the middle overs.

RCB vs KKR Predicted Playing XIs

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB):

Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell/Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar.

Impact Player: Devdutt Padikkal

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):

Ajinkya Rahane (C), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (WK), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Kartik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Impact Player: Finn Allen