- News
- Sports News
- Cricket News
- PBKS vs RCB Highlights, IPL 2025 Qualifier 1: Royal Challengers Bengaluru seal the deal, march into IPL Final
PBKS vs RCB Highlights, IPL 2025 Qualifier 1: Royal Challengers Bengaluru seal the deal, march into IPL Final
IPL 2025 POINTS TABLE | IPL Schedule 2025
PBKS, rejuvenated under the leadership duo of Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer, have rediscovered their swagger. A clear identity, bold selections, and a fearlessness in play have helped them rise from a decade of mediocrity. Securing a top-two finish by thrashing Mumbai Indians was a statement in itself. Their squad exudes balance, with Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis lending power and flexibility, while Arshdeep Singh leads the bowling group with precision.
RCB, too, have undergone a transformation—this time, a more methodical one. With a cohesive unit led by Jitesh Sharma and powered by Kohli’s vintage form, they’ve turned consistency into strength. Their bowling attack, possibly reinforced by a fit-again Josh Hazlewood, offers a formidable challenge.
Tactically, the game hinges on fine margins. Arshdeep Singh’s record against Phil Salt and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s impact in the PowerPlay are critical dynamics. Shreyas Iyer’s phenomenal numbers this season are balanced by his struggles against RCB, while Kohli’s legacy against Punjab, especially while chasing, looms large.
There’s also history—PBKS’s last final appearance was in 2014, and RCB’s three final losses (2009, 2011, 2016) remain etched in IPL folklore. Now, both teams arrive not as underdogs, but as deserving contenders, having rewritten perceptions.
Off the field, the camaraderie between Ponting and Iyer has translated into on-field clarity, while Jitesh’s words post-qualification—echoing Dinesh Karthik’s mentorship—reveal a team mentally tuned for the big stage.
The Mullanpur evening promises intensity, drama, and perhaps a moment that finally alters the course of one team’s IPL story. In a game shaped by pain and potential, the winner moves a step closer to salvation; the loser, left to navigate familiar despair. This isn’t just a Qualifier—it’s a clash of legacy, redemption, and dreams deferred too long.
Yash Dayal to Nehal Wadhera, On a length and on off, Nehal Wadhera pushes it to cover-point.
Yash Dayal to Nehal Wadhera, Pitched up and on the pads, Nehal Wadhera flicks it to short mid-wicket.
Yash Dayal to Nehal Wadhera, FOUR! Makes full use of it! Full again and on middle, Nehal Wadhera stays back and thumps it over the bowler's head for a boundary.
Yash Dayal to Nehal Wadhera, Fuller and on middle, angling in, Nehal Wadhera tucks it to short mid-wicket. Oh..no! Dayal has overstepped here and it is called a No Ball. Free Hit up next...
- Nehal Wadhera 1 (2)
- Josh Inglis 3 (4)
Josh Hazlewood to Nehal Wadhera, On a length and on leg, Nehal Wadhera clips it through square leg for one. 4 runs and a huge wicket from this over.
Josh Hazlewood to Nehal Wadhera, Bangs this into the pitch, on middle, Nehal Wadhera looks to pull but misses and gets hit on the body.
Nehal Wadhera walks in with PBKS in early strife.
Josh Hazlewood to Shreyas Iyer, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Josh Hazlewood strikes and removes Shreyas Iyer! This was the match-up for the Punjab skipper, and he has to walk back cheaply. This is slightly on the fuller length and on off, gets it to shape away. Iyer stays in his crease and looks to slog it across the line, but all he manages is a thick outside edge behind where the keeper, Jitesh Sharma, takes his second catch of the match. Punjab Kings are reeling at 30/3 now!
Josh Hazlewood to Shreyas Iyer, Short of a length and on off, Shreyas Iyer punches it through covers for a brace.
Josh Hazlewood to Shreyas Iyer, Lovely bowling! Good-length delivery in the channel outside off, holds its line, Shreyas Iyer tries to push at it but gets beaten on the outside edge. Hazlewood is causing problems for Iyer again.
Josh Hazlewood to Josh Inglis, Back of a length and on leg, Josh Inglis pulls it away towards fine leg for a single.
The captain of Punjab, Shreyas Iyer, makes his way out to the centre. Time for the first change in bowling as Josh Hazlewood replaces Yash Dayal.
- Prabhsimran Singh 18 (10)
- Josh Inglis 2 (3)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Prabhsimran Singh, OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the last laugh here and that's why they say experience matters. He sees the batter come down the track again and bangs this into the pitch hard, on middle, shapes away a touch. Prabhsimran Singh is halfway down the track and gives it an almighty heave across the line but loses his shape completely. The ball takes a slight outside edge and goes behind, where the keeper, Jitesh Sharma takes a dolly. RCB players are pumped here as they get rid of both the dangerous Punjab openers inside 3 overs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Prabhsimran Singh, Touch fuller and on off, Prabhsimran Singh guides it away towards short third.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Prabhsimran Singh, FOUR! Goes again and gets the result! Good length and around middle this time, angling in. Prabhsimran Singh uses his feet again but gets cramped up. He swats it off the inner half of the bat, but it just goes over Rajat Patidar at mid on for another boundary.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Prabhsimran Singh, FOUR! Up and over! Hits the length hard and just outside off. Prabhsimran Singh advances down the track and flat-bats it over the mid off fielder for a boundary.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Josh Inglis, Back of a length and around off, Josh Inglis steers it through point for a single.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Josh Inglis, On a length and on off, Josh Inglis pats it towards mid off.
- Prabhsimran Singh 10 (6)
- Josh Inglis 1 (1)
Yash Dayal to Prabhsimran Singh, SIX! That spoils the over a bit! Yash Dayal bowls this a bit short but down the leg side. Prabhsimran Singh picks it up nicely and helps it on its way over the fine leg fence for a biggie. 10 runs and a wicket from the over!
Yash Dayal to Prabhsimran Singh, Beauty! Goes a touch fuller and just around off, angling away, Prabhsimran Singh has a poke at it but the ball zips past the outside edge.
Yash Dayal to Prabhsimran Singh, And again! Royal Challengers Bengaluru are up for it and they are putting their bodies on the line. Hard length and outside off, Prabhsimran Singh cuts it hard and wide of deep point. Liam Livingstone quickly runs to his right and slides to push the ball away from the fence. Two runs taken.
Yash Dayal to Josh Inglis, Excellent stop! Short of a length and around off, Josh Inglis steers it nicely wide of short third. Suyash Sharma puts in a fantastic dive to his left to stop it. He saves three runs for his team as the batters get just one.
Josh Inglis is in at number 3.
Yash Dayal to Priyansh Arya, OUT! TAKEN! Yash Dayal strikes in his first over! A huge wicket for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. This one is on a good length and around off, not that full for a drive. However, Priyansh Arya still goes for the big booming drive but fails to keep it down. The ball goes straight into the hands of cover where Krunal Pandya makes no mistake. Punjab Kings are 9/1!
Yash Dayal to Prabhsimran Singh, Yash Dayal begins with a back-of-a-length delivery, on off, Prabhsimran Singh runs it down to third man for a single.
It will be the left-arm seamer, Yash Dayal, to steam in from the other end.
- Prabhsimran Singh 1 (2)
- Priyansh Arya 7 (4)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Prabhsimran Singh, Touch fuller and on off, Prabhsimran Singh steers it through point for a run. That brings up 500 runs for him this season as well. End of an eventful over!
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Prabhsimran Singh, Oh...beaten! Hard length and just on off, shapes away, Prabhsimran Singh uses his feet to guide it away but gets beaten on the outside edge.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Priyansh Arya, On a length and around leg, Priyansh Arya clips it through square leg for a single.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Priyansh Arya, FOUR! Good shot! First one of the game! Bhuvi lands this on a back of a length and just around off. Priyansh Arya frees his arms and punches it sweetly towards point. The ball skids through the outfield and beats the dive of Krunal Pandya to his right and races away for a boundary.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Priyansh Arya, Hits the hard length this time, on middle, gets it to nip back in sharply. Priyansh Arya stays back and blocks it out onto the pitch.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Priyansh Arya, Priyansh Arya and Punjab Kings are underway straightaway! Bhuvneshwar Kumar starts with a good-length delivery, on middle, shaping in. Arya flicks it uppishly but well wide of mid-wicket and picks up a couple of runs.
We are all set to get going in Mullanpur. The two umpires exchange handshakes and head out to the middle. Rajat Patidar leads his side out through a tunnel of fireworks before gathering his players into a huddle. The decibel levels rise as the opening pair of the Punjab Kings walk out to a roaring welcome. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh are the two openers for PBKS. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will open the attack for RCB. Bhuvneshwar to Arya with a slip in place. Here we go!
Impact Players for Punjab Kings - Vyshak Vijaykumar, Praveen Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Musheer Khan and Xavier Bartlett.
Punjab Kings (Playing XI) - Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai (In for Marco Jansen), Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh.
Impact Players for Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Mayank Agarwal, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Tim Seifert and Swapnil Singh.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood (In for Nuwan Thushara), Suyash Sharma.
Shreyas Iyer, the skipper of Punjab Kings, says that they would have bowled first as well. Adds that he should be the last person to ask about this wicket. Mentions that usually teams batting first have won here, so he's not too fussed about the toss. Says that the crowd has been electrifying, and that gives the players a lot of confidence and positivity. Informs that Azmatullah Omarzai comes in for Marco Jansen.
The captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajat Patidar, says that the wicket looks pretty hard with a decent amount of grass covering. Expects some help early on with the ball. Mentions that it was an extraordinary effort from the team in the last game. Praises Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, and Jitesh Sharma for the way they batted in the chase against LSG. Informs that Josh Hazlewood comes back in for Nuwan Thushara.
TOSS - It's toss time in Mullanpur! Rajat Patidar is fully fit and back at the helm for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Shreyas Iyer flips the coin, and Patidar calls it right. RCB have elected to BOWL first.
This high-stakes encounter will be played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, where both teams have already tasted success this season. The pitch at MYSIC Stadium has seen two 200+ first-innings totals in IPL 2025 and has provided ample support to spinners, as Yuzvendra Chahal’s five-wicket haul against KKR proved. With rain unlikely and ideal playing conditions expected, fans can look forward to an uninterrupted thriller.
Punjab have been electric this season, with standout performances from Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, and Iyer himself. Meanwhile, RCB’s campaign has been driven by the ever-reliable Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and the all-round brilliance of Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood.
While the winner books a direct spot in the final, the loser will still get another shot via Qualifier 2. However, with momentum, confidence, and history on the line, expect no holding back from either side.
As two of IPL 2025’s best go head-to-head, Mullanpur is set to witness an epic chapter in this year’s race to the title.
However, chasing hasn’t been straightforward — the highest successful run chase at this venue remains 177, which Punjab Kings achieved against Delhi Capitals back in 2024.
While batters have enjoyed favourable conditions, spinners have also found assistance from the surface. Notably, Yuzvendra Chahal delivered a match-winning spell of five wickets earlier this season as PBKS defended a modest total of 111 against Kolkata Knight Riders. Overall, the pitch promises a fair contest between bat and ball, with spinners likely to play a key role as the game progresses.
As anticipation builds, all eyes are also on the weather in Chandigarh. The good news? Rain is highly unlikely. According to forecasts, the temperature is expected to hover around 26°C with humidity ranging between 35–45%. Wind speeds could touch 20 km/h, but none of these conditions appear threatening to the match proceedings. Fans can breathe easy and hope for a full 40-over contest.
However, if rain does unexpectedly intervene and the match is washed out, PBKS will benefit from their higher finish on the table and qualify directly for the final. RCB, meanwhile, won’t be eliminated—they’ll face the winner of the Eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 for another chance at the final.
With both teams having the cushion of a top-two finish, fans can expect a fearless approach. It’s the playoffs, and despite the safety net, both PBKS and RCB will be eyeing a decisive blow early.
But it shows the strength of the team, that a number 7 batter doesn’t have to bat in a 230-run chase.
Someone goes off, and they win the game and all of a sudden you are out, after so long at the top.
(Punjab Kings) is a tough opposition, and we are playing at their home ground which they have played quite a number of games in this season. So, they’ll know the conditions well.
He was a great player and he has put together a really good squad with the Punjab Kings this year. And I am looking forward to our two teams going up against each other in Qualifier 1.
We recognise their strengths, and there are a few chinks in the armour that we are ready to explore, and we will be ready for them.
The boys put a lot into it in the last game, and the group phase of the competition.
But the reality is that know it’s the knockout stages and you got to be ready for that.
We are playing Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1, and they are a good side, that’s playing good cricket.
So I am really looking forward to the game.
The thing that is encouraging for us is that we have played Punjab Kings, at that venue, on that surface and we have had success there, so the team will take confidence from that.
We have less time before our next match, so we will look to recover quickly, take a nap while travelling.
Everyone is in a good frame of mind and recovering well from the last game in Lucknow.
“When I first took the job, the one thing I told the owners was — things are going to be different. But saying that is one thing, getting the players to buy in is another. They're the ones who actually bring change, not me. I can share ideas, create a culture, but we all have to be in it together.
That’s been my message from day one — from our baggage guys to our captain — we’re all on the same page, working toward the same goal. It feels like the boys have bought into that, and they’re enjoying themselves. You see it around the team hotel and in the team room — there’s a lot of fun and energy.
But we need to keep enjoying it and stay focused. There are still a few weeks left in the tournament. We’ve played good cricket, but we haven’t achieved anything yet. There’s still a lot more to accomplish as a team.”
"From the start, ever since I was picked in the auction, my desire has been clear — Punjab hasn’t won the trophy yet, and my goal is to help the team lift it for the first time. I want to make the fans proud and give them a reason to celebrate — because in the end, we all want to see that iconic Punjabi celebration."
PBKS enter this knockout with momentum, having dismantled Mumbai Indians to finish in the top two. RCB, fresh off a tense win in Lucknow, look equally charged. The head-to-head stands nearly even, adding to the unpredictability. Key absences like Devdutt Padikkal and Marco Jansen, and the return of Josh Hazlewood, add intrigue to the line-ups.
With individual battles like Arshdeep vs Salt and Bhuvneshwar vs Shreyas promising fireworks, this match is set to be a tactical and emotional rollercoaster. In a season where both teams have rewritten their narratives, this Qualifier isn’t just a step to the final—it’s a shot at redemption. Only one will get closer to ending years of heartbreak. Mullanpur awaits a night of high stakes and raw ambition.
IPL 2025 POINTS TABLE|IPL Schedule 2025
Match Statistics
Venue
Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur
