RCB and PBKS will face off in an IPL clash that pits two unbeaten sides with no trophy to their name against one another for supremacy. Each team will play aggressively to try and achieve victory and will do anything necessary to guarantee they claim top honors. Fans are eagerly waiting for the punjab kings vs royal challengers bengaluru match scorecard to see which side takes the lead in this thrilling battle.
Rajat Patidar of RCB applauded Salt’s performance and noted how essential he is for their team. Additionally, he mentioned how close they are to winning their inaugural IPL trophy.
Date | Venue | Winner & Margin |
---|---|---|
29 May 2025 | New Chandigarh (Qualifier 1) | RCB won by 8 wickets (Jagranjosh.com, Reuters, Indiatimes) |
20 April 2025 | New Chandigarh | RCB won by 7 wickets (Jagranjosh.com) |
18 April 2025 | Bengaluru (M. Chinnaswamy) | Punjab Kings won by 6 wickets (DLS, rain-shortened) (Jagranjosh.com, Crictoday) |
09 May 2024 | Dharamsala | RCB won by 60 runs (Jagranjosh.com, Crictoday) |
25 March 2024 | Bengaluru | RCB won by 4 wickets (Jagranjosh.com, Crictoday) |
Venue-specific dominance
Both teams have shared many memorable moments in IPL history, including several finals; yet neither side has managed to lift the trophy yet. On Friday they will come face-to-face once more in order to break their jinx.
Chris Gayle emerged victorious when these two sides met in IPL 2015. The Universe Boss notched two centuries and terrorised the Punjab batting line-up with fearless stroke play and 360 degree bat swing.
His 48 ball century included 14 fours and 7 sixes; remaining the fastest century in IPL history. Since then he has continued to provide entertaining entertainment, becoming a significant threat against any bowling side in this fixture.
Though RCB may trail in overall wins at home grounds such as M Chinnaswamy Stadium and Mohali Cricket Ground, they remain clear leaders when playing on home turf at M Chinnaswamy. At home they have won seven out of 12 matches at M Chinnaswamy compared to just five victories for PBKS there.
They have also enjoyed success on neutral grounds such as HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala and Mohali Cricket Ground.
Overall, RCB have outshone PBKS in terms of head-to-head performance with 17 wins from 35 matches played, most recently during Qualifier 1.
Their squad features the ideal blend of firepower at the top from Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers; middle order depth provided by Krunal Pandya and Jitesh Sharma; as well as variation from spinners like Yash Dayal and Josh Hazlewood to ensure success against them in battles between RCB and PBKS.
PBKS, on the other hand, is full of confidence following their emphatic victory against LSG in Lucknow on Saturday. Under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership and under their new management team they have come a long way since being perennial underachievers; making this play-off final under new management their inaugural attempt. Boasting an experienced batting line-up with players such as Iyer, Priyansh Arya and Marcus Stoinis as batsmen plus Australian Josh Hazlewood their potency will only increase further.
As for bowling, Nehal Wadhera has proven his credentials with consistent death overs performances while Yuzvendra Chahal excels at slowing down batsmen using subtle variations and clever pace manipulation techniques to frustrate them. Together they will play an integral part in keeping this tight contest under control.
Batting line-ups
Punjab Kings have been in impressive batting form. After an encouraging win over Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2, under new captain Shreyas Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting they have advanced to the play-offs for the first time since 2014.
RCB are inching closer towards making their fourth IPL final this season, thanks to Yuzvendra Chahal’s return and solid spinner performances during death overs. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul have led by example with excellent batsmen performances as well.
Both teams have met 37 times during the IPL, with Royal Challengers Bangalore winning 19 and Punjab-Bowling Green Shield 18 times respectively. Ahmedabad offers ideal conditions for batting with warm and slightly muggy weather expected on match night.
As both teams look to break their title droughts, this matchup should prove riveting. Both batting lineups have been impressive and expect an action-packed contest with plenty of runs scored by both sides.
RCB will be buoyed by Yuzvendra Chahal, who has been in impressive form this season. Additionally, their side boasts top spinners Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma who will seek to take control of early games by exploiting conditions in which to play their game.
RCB will need a strong top-order to defeat Rajasthan this match, as their batting line-up has been performing exceptionally. Mayank Agarwal, Tim David, and Jitesh Sharma all play vital roles in scoring runs for their side.
Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Harpreet Brar are key members of Punjab’s powerful batting lineup. Bowlers such as Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur Pravin Dubey and Azmatullah Omarzai will all contribute significantly for PBKS.
Bowling line-ups
Punjab Kings boast an excellent record against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL history, winning more matches against them than any other side. Yet they remain winless when facing them head on in a final on Tuesday – something the Royals hope to change by defeating PBKS on that occasion.
Winner of this match will advance directly to the final, while loser will play against the victor of Gujarat Titans versus Mumbai Indians Eliminator game for another opportunity at qualifying. RCB won the coin toss and elected to bowl first.
Both teams have won their last league-stage games and finished as top two on the points table. Even after falling to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their previous meeting, Kings have bounced back strongly, led by Shreyas Iyer who leads with poise and purpose.
Virat Kohli will return from injury-suffering status and join regulars like Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan at RCB, while Tim David remains uncertain with regards to hamstring strain issues he’ll need assessed before playing any matches for them.
At Narendra Modi Stadium, the average first-innings score for teams batting first has been 209. They have won 60% of their matches when opting to bat first at this venue; so it may be wise for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to bat first when visiting this ground.
RCB have an impressive record against PBKS when it comes to bowling, but their big-hitting batsmen can give PBKS a run for their money. Chris Gayle’s 57-ball 117 helped post 226/3 before bowling them out for just 88 – still the lowest total ever seen when chasing down an IPL target of 215 or more! Yuzvendra Chahal will play an essential part in winning this match for them, however.
Overall record
Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings have long held an intense rivalry, facing each other 37 times since the Indian Premier League started and with Royal Challengers Bangalore taking an edge with 19 victories against 18 wins from PBKS.
These two teams have met four times in IPL finals play, with RCB coming out victorious once. Their last meeting, however, proved an exciting affair: in Qualifier 1 they bowled out PBKS for 101 and then rode an unbeaten 87 from captain Shreyas Iyer to win by six wickets despite losing their previous encounter. Although losing one match hasn’t stopped PBKS from rising up against all odds this season.
PBKS managed to qualify for the play-offs despite an underwhelming start, thanks to two victories and three defeats, earning top two status, giving them a shot at lifting their first IPL title. Thanks to its young and talented squad, they now stand a good chance of ending a long wait for glory.
When it comes to batting, both teams have had mixed results this season. While PBKS have struggled with consistency, Royal Challengers Bangalore have looked more balanced this season with impressive spinners such as Yash Dayal and Josh Hazlewood adding depth in their attack.
RCB-PBKS matches have long been thrilling contests filled with intense cricket and dramatic finishes. Over time, their rivalry has only intensified; now set to reach new heights during this year’s IPL final!
First time these two teams met was in the inaugural edition of IPL when PBKS was known as Kings XI Punjab and played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on May 5, where KXIP won by six wickets – setting off an intense rivalry which continues today – these two have faced each other three times this season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru winning all of them!