RCB vs PBKS Highlights, IPL 2025: Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal hit fifties as Royal Challengers Bengaluru crush Punjab Kings by 7 wickets

RCB vs PBKS Live Score: Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to field against hosts Punjab Kings in their IPL clash today. Currently placed fifth on the points table, RCB have made one change to their lineup, bringing in West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd in place of Liam Livingstone. Punjab Kings, sitting comfortably at third in the standings, have opted to go with an unchanged XI.Playing XIs:Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Josh Inglis (w), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra ChahalRoyal Challengers Bengaluru: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash DayalIPL Points Table | IPL Schedule | IPL ScoreAfter a dismal outing against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will look to regroup quickly for the return fixture today. RCB's batting unit crumbled to 95 for nine in just 14 overs in the previous game, with only Tim David showing any spark. Star names like Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, and skipper Rajat Patidar fell cheaply, failing to adapt to the conditions at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Patidar acknowledged the issue, saying, “We have lost wickets in quick intervals and that's a big lesson for us.”Placed fifth in the IPL standings, RCB will need a massive improvement from their top and middle-order. They will rely heavily on Kohli and Salt for a strong start, while the onus will be on Patidar, Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, and David to stabilise the innings. In the bowling department, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been steady, but they need greater contributions from Yash Dayal, Krunal Pandya, and Suyash Sharma to turn games around. Hazlewood stressed the need to carry forward the momentum from their bowling efforts, saying, “We can take that momentum to the next game.”PBKS, on the other hand, are flying high with five wins in seven games and sit third on the table. Their bowling has been key, with Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen striking early and Xavier Bartlett impressing consistently. Yuzvendra Chahal has rediscovered his attacking flair and has been central to PBKS’s success in the middle overs. Captain Shreyas Iyer praised Chahal’s mindset, stating, “You are a match winner… You don’t need to be safe in your approach.” On the batting front, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh have set the tone at the top, while the experienced middle-order — featuring Iyer, Inglis, Stoinis, and Shashank — has provided stability and firepower.With both teams having little time to recover and strategise, today’s clash promises to be a critical showdown, especially for an RCB unit desperate to keep its playoff push alive.