PBKS vs RCB Match Preview | Fired-up Royal Challengers eye final spot as Punjab look to put up a fight
A high-stakes thriller awaits as Royal Challengers Bengaluru gear up to face Punjab Kings in Qualifier One. The clash will take place at Punjab Kings' home ground in New Chandigarh, with both teams entering the knockout on the back of impressive victories in their final league matches.
In their final group-stage game, Punjab Kings cruised to a 7-wicket win over Mumbai Indians, thanks to a commanding 73 from Josh Inglis. RCB, on the other hand, pulled off their highest-ever IPL run chase against Lucknow Super Giants, with Jitesh Sharma playing a match-winning knock of 85 to seal a 6-wicket victory.
Form Guide:Ā
PBKS: W L W W WRCB: W L NR W W
PBKS vs RCB head to head
The head-to-head record slightly favors Bengaluru, who have won 18 of their 35 clashes against Punjab Kings, while Punjab have emerged victorious 17 times.
Pitch and Conditions:
The pitch at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium offers equal assistance to both batters and bowlers, ensuring a balanced contest. Dry surface conditions aid spinners with extra turn and grip. Temperatures range from 34Ā°C during the day to 25Ā°C in the evening, with humidity between 20-35%. Rain is unlikely under clear skies, but dew is expected to play a role in the second innings, potentially affecting bowlersā grip.
Team News
Devdutt Padikkal, Jacob Bethell, and Lungi Ngidi will miss the playoffs, with Mayank Agarwal, Tim Seifert, and Blessing Muzarabani named as their replacements. A key concern for RCB is Tim David's fitness, as he sat out the last league game with a hamstring injury and is still being monitored, according to mentor and batting coach Dinesh Karthik. David, who boasts the sixth-highest strike rate (185.14) among players with over 100 runs this season, is a crucial finisher, and his absence could weaken RCB's lower-middle-order firepower. The onus might fall on Liam Livingstone, whose strike rate this season stands at 126.08, to step up in Davidās absence. On a positive note, Josh Hazlewood is expected to be available for Qualifier 1, bolstering the bowling attack with his impact in both the powerplay and death overs. Additionally, RCBās perfect away record, seven wins in as many matches, should give them a psychological edge heading into the knockouts.
Marco Jansen, Glenn Maxwell, and Lockie Ferguson will be unavailable for the playoffs, with Kyle Jamieson and Mitchell Owen named as replacements. Punjab Kings' biggest asset this season has been their strong Indian core, both in batting and bowling. However, Jansenās absence could weaken their bowling attack and lower-order batting depth. The team will hope Kyle Jamieson can effectively fill that void. On the brighter side, Yuzvendra Chahal, who missed the last two league matches due to a right wrist issue, is likely to return for the playoffs, providing a boost to their spin department alongside Harpreet Brar.
RCB Probable XI: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (c & wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma.
Impact Player: Rajat Patidar
PBKS Probable XI: Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie/ Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh
Impact Player: Prabhsimran Singh
Broadcasting PlatformsĀ
TheĀ PBKS vs RCB Indian Premier League 2025 match will be digitally streamed on JioHotstar and telecast on the Star Sports network at 7:30 PM IST in India.
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