Match Number 16 of Indian Premier League 2026 will feature Rajasthan Royals against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on Friday at 7:30 PM. Both sides will play aggressively since it is a crucial match that will influence their position in the points table during the early stages. Guwahati pitch is favorable for batsmen and hence one can be sure of an exciting match. The encounter seems to have produced almost similar outcomes from the head-to-head perspective. Royal Challengers Bengaluru has won three out of their last five encounters while RR has been victorious in two out of those five matches. RCB won the previous two matches held in 2025. In addition, there were clear wins of 9 wickets and 11 run difference. Rajasthan Royals emerged victorious in both games played in 2024. Most memorable encounter was played in 2023 when RCB triumphed over RR by 112 runs difference. Players to Watch Out Yashasvi Jaiswal - RR Yashasvi Jaiswal has had an impressive run in the current season. He has managed 170 runs from just 3 games in the 2026 IPL, having scored two fifties. He has been hitting at a very fast rate, making him a threat in the power play. Jaiswal has managed to score 272 runs against RCB in 9 matches with avirat good strike rate. He has even scored 49 runs off only 19 balls against them in their last encounter. Once he finds form, RR can make a strong start. Also Read | IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru 16th T20 Match Prediction - Who will win today's match between RR vs RCB IPL T20 match? Sandeep Sharma - RR Sandeep Sharma has enjoyed a great record when facing RCB during his career. He has bagged 29 wickets from 21 matches against them, proving his experience. In his current season's IPL, Sharma has made 3 wickets from 3 matches. He even bagged 2 wickets in the last game against them while conceding some runs. His contribution in the power play will be crucial. Also, his record vs Kohli is great, he dismissed him several times. Virat Kohli - RCB The batting strength of RCB relies heavily on Virat Kohli who serves as their central player. He has scored 896 runs against RR in his IPL career including a century. He has 97 runs in 2 IPL 2026 matches which he achieved at a very high strike rate. He scored 69* against SRH and 28 against CSK. He scored 70 runs in the last match against RR. He becomes a major threat because of his vast experience. Devdutt Padikkal - RCB Devdutt Padikkal is another batter in great form. He has scored 111 runs in 2 matches this season with two half-centuries. His strike rate has been above 200 which is impressive. He has scored 311 runs against RR in 7 matches with an average of over 60. In the last match against RR he scored a quick 50 off 27 balls. He can change the game quickly. Bhuvneshwar Kumar - RCB Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been leading the RCB bowling attack well. He has taken 4 wickets in 2 matches in IPL 2026. His recent spell of 3/41 shows he is in good rhythm. He has taken 20 wickets against RR in 20 matches. His swing bowling can trouble RR’s top order although he allowed runs to score in his last match against them. Match Preview The match will be a close contest because both teams possess strong batting line-ups. RR will depend on Jaiswal for a fast start while RCB will look at Kohli and Padikkal to build the innings. The match will see Sandeep and Bhuvneshwar take charge of bowling crucial parts of their respective games. The team which performs better under middle over pressure while executing death bowling will increase their winning chances. Fans can expect an exciting game with plenty of runs.