The IPL is now reaching its thrilling climax as the playoffs kick off this Thursday. Punjab Kings, under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, have made it to the business end of the tournament for the first time since 2014. They will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur.
RCB's spot was secured thanks to Jitesh Sharma’s explosive 33-ball 85, which powered them to a crucial victory over Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium.
What will also delight the three-time finalists is the fact that a team that was traditionally top-heavy and lacked in finishers achieved the feat on the strength of their middle order, with Jitesh and Mayank Agarwal shining.
RCB will also welcome the return of pace ace Josh Hazlewood. Despite missing several matches due to a shoulder niggle, the Australian fast bowler leads RCB’s wicket-taking charts with 18 dismissals in 10 matches at 17.27. Partnering with old warhorse Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the pair has added teeth to the RCB pace attack, traditionally their Achilles heel.
Phil Salt’s aggressive hitting, combined with Virat Kohli’s outstanding form—602 runs in 13 matches at an average of 60.20 with eight fifties—adds a strong boost to RCB’s campaign. Despite a glittering career filled with trophies, the elusive IPL title has so far slipped past Kohli, making the 2025 season another golden chance to claim the crown.
Qualifier 1 also poses a crucial leadership test for Shreyas Iyer, who is chasing his third consecutive captaincy title after leading Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL glory last year and guiding Mumbai to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy.
What will aid both teams is second crack at reaching the final if they lose this one. Punjab Kings have the added advantage of home support in Mullanpur. They will also benefit from an extra day of rest, a privilege not available to RCB, who played on Tuesday and travelled on Wednesday.
PBKS vs RCB: Predicted Playing XIs
RCB (Probable XI):
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone / Tim Seifert / Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (C/wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood / Nuwan Thushara.
Impact Sub: Suyash Sharma.
PBKS (Probable XI):
Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh.
Impact Sub: Vyshak Vijaykumar / Yuzvendra Chahal
PBKS vs RCB IPL 2025 Head to Head Stats
Matches Played: 35
PBKS Wins: 18
RCB Wins: 17
The rivalry has always been razor-thin, and Thursday’s clash is expected to be no different.
RCB's spot was secured thanks to Jitesh Sharma’s explosive 33-ball 85, which powered them to a crucial victory over Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium.
What will also delight the three-time finalists is the fact that a team that was traditionally top-heavy and lacked in finishers achieved the feat on the strength of their middle order, with Jitesh and Mayank Agarwal shining.
RCB will also welcome the return of pace ace Josh Hazlewood. Despite missing several matches due to a shoulder niggle, the Australian fast bowler leads RCB’s wicket-taking charts with 18 dismissals in 10 matches at 17.27. Partnering with old warhorse Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the pair has added teeth to the RCB pace attack, traditionally their Achilles heel.
Phil Salt’s aggressive hitting, combined with Virat Kohli’s outstanding form—602 runs in 13 matches at an average of 60.20 with eight fifties—adds a strong boost to RCB’s campaign. Despite a glittering career filled with trophies, the elusive IPL title has so far slipped past Kohli, making the 2025 season another golden chance to claim the crown.
Qualifier 1 also poses a crucial leadership test for Shreyas Iyer, who is chasing his third consecutive captaincy title after leading Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL glory last year and guiding Mumbai to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy.
What will aid both teams is second crack at reaching the final if they lose this one. Punjab Kings have the added advantage of home support in Mullanpur. They will also benefit from an extra day of rest, a privilege not available to RCB, who played on Tuesday and travelled on Wednesday.
PBKS vs RCB: Predicted Playing XIs
RCB (Probable XI):
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone / Tim Seifert / Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (C/wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood / Nuwan Thushara.
Impact Sub: Suyash Sharma.
PBKS (Probable XI):
Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh.
Impact Sub: Vyshak Vijaykumar / Yuzvendra Chahal
PBKS vs RCB IPL 2025 Head to Head Stats
Matches Played: 35
PBKS Wins: 18
RCB Wins: 17
The rivalry has always been razor-thin, and Thursday’s clash is expected to be no different.
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