RCB vs PBKS Match Prediction 2025: Match Preview, Pitch Report and Who will win Today’s IPL Match?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Match 34 Preview
 

RCB vs PBKS Prediction 2025: Both Team’s Recent Form

Royal Challengers Bengaluru started the season pretty strongly with wins against Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. They’ve been far superior to their competitors in the matches they’ve won. However, their form has been amazing in away games but until now they have lost both of their games they have played at their home ground this season. 

Punjab Kings have an identical record to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, they’ve won the same amount of games and they’ve also won in the same manner. However, in their recent game against KKR, Punjab managed to pull off the defence of the lowest total in IPL history of 112. Hence, they are also with 8 points after six games.

RCB vs PBKS Head to Head Record in IPL
 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings are two of the only three franchises in IPL history to have played for all 18 seasons and have never won the IPL title. Both these franchises have fared a fated rivalry against one another and one which has seen some fantastic knocks from the likes of Virat Kohli, David Miller among others. Both Bengaluru and Punjab have faced each other on 33 occasions in the IPL, Punjab have won 17 times while RCB have won 16. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Team Previews

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Much to everyone’s surprise the Royal Challengers Bengaluru are having a solid IPL as they’ve won three out of their first five games and are playing with renewed spirit. Given their performances this season, they are considered to be early favourites to go all the way this season. Their openers in Phil Salt and Virat Kohli have shown tremendous form and are backed by the middle order led by Rajat Patidar. Tim David and Jitesh Sharma have often provided with powerful finish to their batting. In the bowling the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya have all been clicking in tandem. However, the one question mark perhaps over RCB is the form of their star player Liam Livingstone. 

Punjab Kings

Punjab Kings enter into the encounter against Royal Challengers Bengaluru with high confidence after defending the lowest ever IPL total of 112 runs against KKR. However, there will be some doubts over their batting display. Punjab do boast a fiery and balanced lineup with an explosive batting unit. Their batters in Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Vadhera and Shashank Singh are in tremendous form while the likes of Marcus Stoinis are gaining their form back. There is however, a big question mark looming over the form of Glenn Maxwell and whether the team should continue with him or not. It will be interesting to see how Punjab address these issues against RCB.

RCB vs PBKS, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, Pitch Report and Weather Report
 

The weather at M Chinnaswamy Stadium has often been unpredictable with unseasonal rains usually hitting Bengaluru around this time of the year. Going into today’s contest the weather is supposed to be partly cloudy with temperatures ranging from 23-32°C throughout the day.  There’s 59% humidity with a 10-20% chance of rain. 

As far as the pitch is concerned the Chinnaswamy stadium has a notorious reputation of serving up pitches that suit the batters and are a hell for bowlers. So once again expect it to be a high scoring contest with a bit of grip in the surface but a pitch that ultimately will favour a strong batting and chasing side.

RCB vs PBKS Session Score Based on Scenario

In Scenario 1, the Punjab Kings if they win the toss are expected to bat first as they have so often done this season. 

In Scenario 2, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru would like to chase at their home ground if they win the toss to put pressure on Punjab bowling. 

RCB vs PBKS Predicted Playing XI

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Predicted Playing XI

Jitesh Sharma (wk), Rajat Patidar (c), Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Liam Livingstone, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal 

Injury Concerns: None

Impact Sub: Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam, Swapnil Singh, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell

Punjab Kings Predicted Playing XI

Prabhsimran Singh (wk) Shreyas Iyer (c), Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal

Injury Concerns: Lockie Ferguson

Impact Subs: Suryansh Shegde, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpeet Brar, Josh Inglis

RCB vs PBKS Key Performers 

Top Batter: Phil Salt

Phil Salt is in tremendous vein of form for Royal Challengers Bengaluru this season as he has often set the tone for RCB’s batting. Salt has scored with a strike rate of 185.71 in first five matches with a highest score of 65 runs. It will be imperative for Punjab to take the wicket of Phil Salt early on if they want to have a huge impact on the game. 
 

Top Bowler: Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal had been completely out of form for the Punjab Kings in the first five matches of the Tata IPL. But he took four wickets to orchestrate Punjab’s improbable win over Kolkata Knight Riders defending just 112 runs. Chahal knows the conditions at the M Chinnaswamy stadium extremely well and his performance would be key for Punjab.

RCB vs PBKS Match Prediction

Today’s match between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Punjab Kings is an extremely tough one to call given the form and qualities both the sides possess. Both teams are balanced and have depth in bowling as well as a strong batting lineup. Given, the way Punjab won their last game they could be riding the momentum and are predicted to win the match. 

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