NEW DELHI: When Punjab Kings (PBKS) take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Thursday, it won’t just be a contest for a spot in the final — it’ll be a high-voltage showdown steeped in ambition, redemption, and unfinished business.
Both teams are chasing their maiden IPL title, and history has been anything but kind. For PBKS, this marks their first playoff appearance since 2014 — the season they dominated the league but lost the final to KKR. RCB, on the other hand, haven’t finished in the top two since 2016, when they came agonisingly close before losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Now, in 2025, both franchises have flipped the script and find themselves a win away from a direct ticket to the final. The loser, however, will still have another lifeline in Qualifier 2, facing the winner of the Eliminator. But both sides will be gunning to take the shortest — and smoothest — route to the summit clash.
RCB may have the psychological upper hand after a win at this venue earlier in the season, but PBKS will draw strength from their home support in Mullanpur, which has rallied behind them passionately.
PBKS vs RCB: Head-to-Head RecordMatches Played: 35
PBKS Wins: 18
RCB Wins: 17
The rivalry has always been razor-thin, and Thursday’s clash is expected to be no different.
PBKS vs RCB: Pitch Report The Mullanpur wicket has been unpredictable. While high-scoring thrillers have been frequent — with totals beyond 200 not uncommon — there has also been help for seamers and spinners. PBKS famously defended just 111 runs here against KKR earlier in the league, so expect the unexpected.
PBKS vs RCB: Predicted Playing XIsRCB (Probable XI):Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone / Tim Seifert / Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (C/wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood / Nuwan Thushara
Impact Sub: Suyash Sharma
PBKS (Probable XI):Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh
Impact Sub: Vyshak Vijaykumar / Yuzvendra Chahal
PBKS vs RCB: Weather reportExpect hot conditions, with temperatures soaring up to 40°C during the day and dipping to around 24°C in the evening. However, rain could play spoilsport, with a forecast that includes possible showers.
PBKS vs RCB: Where to WatchMatch Time: 7:30 PM IST
TV Broadcast: Star Sports Network
Live Streaming: JioCinema
PBKS vs RCB: Full SquadsPunjab Kings:
Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Musheer Khan, Xavier Bartlett, Praveen Dubey, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vishnu Vinod, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Pyla Avinash
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (c & wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara, Suyash Sharma, Rajat Patidar, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Tim Seifert, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Blessing Muzarabani
Get IPL 2025 match schedules, squads, points table, and live scores for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
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