The IPL 2025 playoffs are heating up, with today’s Qualifier 1 featuring an exciting fight between the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The match will take place at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh, and will begin at 7:30 PM IST. Cricket lovers may watch the live action on Star Sports or online through JioCinema.
Both teams have been in great form this season, finishing the league stage with 19 points apiece. However, the Punjab Kings grabbed the top spot due to their superior net run rate. PBKS has given a consistent and balanced performance throughout the competition, guided by Ricky Ponting and led by Shreyas Iyer. RCB, coached by Rajat Patidar, has had amazing momentum this season, particularly with an unblemished record in all seven away matches.
Experts and fans are split on their predictions. Some pundits believe the Punjab Kings have a minor advantage because of their overall consistency and depth. However, RCB’s recent form and key players such as Virat Kohli and Phil Salt make them a formidable opponent. Our prediction: expect a thrilling game, but RCB may just edge it if they maintain their winning streak on the road.
In terms of head-to-heads, PBKS and RCB have met 35 times in IPL history. Punjab leads by 18 wins, while Bengaluru has 17 victories. Their most previous meeting earlier this season ended with RCB prevailing by 7 wickets, providing them a psychological advantage going into today’s game.
According to the predicted playing XI, PBKS will field Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, and Arshdeep Singh. Meanwhile, RCB’s squad is expected to contain Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, and Josh Hazlewood.
Shreyas Iyer of PBKS is a key player to watch, as he has been anchoring the middle order with calm and maturity. For RCB, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who is still in explosive form and remains a backbone of their batting. Arshdeep Singh’s death-over bowling for PBKS has the potential to turn the game, whilst Phil Salt’s aggressive beginnings in the powerplay make him a match winner for the RCB.
This is a high-stakes match, with the winner receiving a direct trip to the IPL 2025 Final. The loser will still have a shot at Qualifier 2, but no team wants to take the long path. So prepare for a nail-biting contest between two powerful teams.
