Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Match Scorecard

Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings will face off in an IPL final that promises to be thrilling, giving both teams an opportunity to claim their inaugural titles.

Phil Salt was their top scorer. RCB secured their place in the final by beating PBKS for just 190 runs in Qualifier 1, bowling out their opposition for just 180. For fans tracking performances, the royal challengers bengaluru vs punjab kings match scorecard highlights the key moments that defined this high-pressure clash.

RCB vs PBKS 2025 Final

The IPL 2025 Final between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab-Banaras Khan Shah Sharjah (PBKS) promises to be an epic battle of nerves, form, legacy, and dreams. Both teams have been waiting almost a decade for this momentous moment, and stakes couldn’t be higher: this marks RCB’s first appearance in an IPL final since 2016 while for PBKS it marks an opportunity at redemption as they attempt to break their title jinx.

These two sides have had an intense rivalry since meeting for the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League back in 2008 when Kings XI Punjab were known as PBKS and ever since, they have played 36 times, with RCB coming out victorious 17 times to PBKS’ 16 victories – most recently when RCB easily dispatched them in Qualifier 1 to advance to the final.

Phil Salt’s match-winning innings of 56 enabled Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to crush PBKS for 101 runs and win by eight wickets, justifying Rajat Patidar’s decision to field first by restricting hosts PBKS to an low total. Virat Kohli and Marcus Stoinis led their side’s chase, sharing an unbroken partnership of 106 runs that helped their side reach their target with just an over to spare.

RCB have reached the IPL final three times before but never triumphed as champions. Yet their current squad appears more powerful than ever with top order firepower and middle order depth. Krunal Pandya, Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal offer up bowling options that help ensure victory on gameday.

Even without some key players, RCB remains one of the favourites to take home the trophy this IPL. They boast momentum, confidence and world-class captain Virat Kohli who could finally end their title drought this IPL. He hopes it’s another memorable night at MCA stadium as all will watch live coverage on JioHotstar on Tuesday 29 May from 7:30 PM IST.

RCB vs PBKS 2025 Eliminator

Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru will engage in an exciting contest that could earn one team an invite to the final. Over 33 clashes in the Indian Premier League between these teams, Punjab Kings have held an edge with 17 wins versus 16 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru; both franchises have been present since its introduction and have yet to capture one championship trophy each.

RCB are widely considered favorites to win this matchup due to their consistent form this season and strong head-to-head record against PBKS, but Shreyas Iyer could prove an important hurdle.

Both teams have demonstrated incredible perseverance to reach the playoffs this season, making their match one of great excitement and anticipation. Whoever emerges victorious will secure one of two remaining places in IPL 2025’s finale.

With both teams having equal chances of victory, this match promises to be an action-packed encounter. PBKS’ batting lineup was impressive when they chased down Mumbai Indians’ target of 203 with gusto; players such as Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma comprise their top order while Kyle Jamieson and Yuzvendra Chahal led their bowling attack.

On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore are in great form and boast a balanced squad, making this matchup between both teams closely-contested with each trying for their maiden IPL crown.

The final match of IPL playoffs will take place at a neutral location. Earlier, BCCI announced that tournament would resume on May 3 and all suspended due to security concerns would be played at neutral venues. They noted they conducted “extensive consultations with government and security agencies, all stakeholders including teams and fans”.

The Eliminator will feature the third and fourth-place teams from IPL playoffs who will square off against one another in a single-leg match to determine who will finish higher on points table. The loser of this encounter will be eliminated while its winner will progress into final against Qualifier 2 loser; both teams will also host games at their own grounds in Dharamsala.

RCB vs PBKS 2025 Semi-Final

RCB and PBKS stand on the brink of history. Neither team has made an IPL final before, so both will be eager to experience that glory of winning it all! Only one will go forward into final contention while one will not. No team can afford any mistakes here as success in making final two will depend on each one giving their all.

RCB will be full of pride after winning Qualifier 1. They have been the dominant force this season and their victory over PBKS was just rewards for all of their hard work. RCB have found an effective combination of bat and ball play that they use effectively as they become an unstoppable force to be reckoned with.

It was only to be expected that this game would be low-scoring; rain-shortened matches tend to produce low scoring affairs. PBKS struggled to get their run-scoring engine going and their batting at times seemed uninspiring; their openers managed to make it to 30s but RCB’s bowlers kept pressure on them, with both Priyansh Arya and Josh Inglis departing quickly while captain Virat Kohli only managing one run before being out as their innings faltered.

Both teams are unfamiliar with this stage of the tournament as neither have finished top two at the end of a league phase before.

But with so much at stake and all to play for on Wednesday evening, both should remain calmer under pressure and it should be interesting to see which side comes out firing all cylinders first. RCB have impressed this year thanks to captain Virat Kohli leading their batsmen but Josh Hazlewood’s bowling will likely decide the outcome; Josh Hazlewood has been outstanding against PBKS while Josh Hazlewood must do his utmost to stop their batsmen from scoring runs on Wednesday evening.

RCB vs PBKS 2025 Match Prediction

As they face each other for IPL glory, RCB and PBKS look poised for a classic final showdown in Ahmedabad. Both teams come into this final with confidence after winning all previous encounters against each other this season; yet only one will emerge victorious and take home the trophy.

RCB hold an edge against PBKS due to their superior head-to-head record against them, consistent form, and decisive victory in Qualifier 1. Shreyas Iyer has made history by leading three IPL finalist teams – Delhi Capitals (2020), Kolkata Knight Riders (2024) and now Punjab Kings (2025) to glory under his captaincy – but this match will prove his most difficult test yet.

Iyer will need to strike a balance between his top-order flash and RCB’s batting depth, with their bowlers also performing strongly; their form has significantly improved since the tournament’s inception.

However, PBKS have displayed resilience against MI and are expected to come out swinging hard for this game against KR. Their impressive roster includes batsmen such as Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai Harnoor Pannu Kuldeep Sen Vijaykumar Vyshak Yash Thakur and Kyle Jamieson who could all contribute.

Ahmedabad will likely boast more bounce than Mumbai due to rain-affected surfaces, offering spinners of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) an advantage, along with fast bowlers like Josh Hazlewood who is closing in on earning his Purple Cap and could prove essential against PBKS.

PBKS will likely stay true to their combination following their triumph in Qualifier 2, though Yuzvendra Chahal’s injury may require them to make adjustments. Harpreet Brar will pose RCB with a significant challenge as he has taken two wickets against them so far this season and could wreak havoc during any innings against them in the final.