The Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) Playoffs are here, and it all kicks off with a blockbuster clash scheduled between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (PBKS) in Qualifier 1 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on May 29.Â
After years of waiting, both PBKS and RCB find themselves two wins away from a long-awaited IPL title. This is not just another game for them as it is a battle of two sides hungry to rewrite their legacy.
The winner of this match will advance directly to the IPL 2025 final, while the loser will have another opportunity to reach the final by playing Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator.
Both these teams finished the league stage with 19 points after 14 matches. PBKS secured the top spot due to a superior Net Run Rate. RCB confirmed their place in Qualifier 1 after sealing a brilliant victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LS), where Jitesh Sharma's unbeaten 85 runs off 33 balls helped them complete their record run-chase of 228 runs.
Josh Hazlewood is likely to make his return, while there is still uncertainty over Tim David’s availability. For PBKS, Marco Jansen’s absence will be a massive blow. Yuzvendra Chahal, who did not feature in the last two games because of a wrist injury, is expected to play tonight.
In IPL 2025, PBKS and RCB played two matches against each other and won one apiece.
PBKS vs RCB Pitch Report: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, MullanpurÂ
The pitch at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur is expected to offer a balanced contest between bat and ball. The highest score recorded here this season is 219. Punjab Kings defended 111 runs versus Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Three of the four matches played at this venue in IPL 2025 were won by the sides batting first.
Also read: PBKS vs RCB Dream11 Prediction & Fantasy Cricket Tips: IPL 2025 Qualifier 1
PBKS vs RCB Weather ReportÂ
As per the weather forecast, there is no chance of rain in Mullanpur on Thursday. The match is expected to run without rain interruption. The average temperature will be 29 to 34 degrees Celsius during the match.
PBKS vs RCB SquadsÂ
PBKS: Shreyas Iyer (c), Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yuzvendra Chahal, Suryansh Shedge, Musheer Khan, Xavier Bartlett, Praveen Dubey, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vishnu Vinod, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Pyla Avinash.
RCB: Rajat Patidar (c), Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Tim Seifert, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Swapnil Singh, Blessing Muzarabani, Tim David, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh.Â
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