Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings: The 34th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 features the most entertaining clash as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face off against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
These two competitive teams have lost only two out of 6 games played and secured 8 points each. As the net-run-rate (NRR) plays a crucial role, RCB with +0.672 NRR ranks above PBKS (+0.172 NRR).
Currently, Bengaluru and Punjab rank in 3rd and 4th positions of the points table, respectively. This battle between the Royal Challengers and Kings holds great significance as the winner of the match is certain to bolster their rankings in the top four of the points table.
Here’s everything you need to know in this preview, such as head-to-head stats, weather forecast, pitch conditions, toss-winning captain’s decision, possible playing XI, and impact subs to determine the winner of the upcoming match.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings IPL 2025 Match Details
| IPL Edition | 18 |
| Year | 2025 |
| Match Number | 34 |
| Date | April 18 |
| Day | Friday |
| Timings (IST) | 07:30 pm |
| Venue | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Seating Capacity | 40,000 |
Head-to-Head Stats of RCB vs PBKS in IPL: Overall Records and At M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
Analyzing the head-to-head records, PBKS holds a slight edge over RCB by winning 17 out of 33 matches:
Overall Records (Since 2008):
| Stats | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Punjab Kings |
| Total Matches Played | 33 | 33 |
| Won | 16 | 17 |
| Highest Total | 241/7 in 20 overs (IPL 2024) | 232/2 in 20 overs (IPL 2011) |
| Lowest Total | 84/6 in 10 overs (IPL 2015) | 88/10 in 15.1 overs (IPL 2018) |
| Winnings Batting First | 10 | 7 |
| Winnings Batting Second | 6 | 10 |
At M. Chinnaswamy Stadium:
| Stats | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Punjab Kings |
| Total Matches Played | 12 | 12 |
| Won | 7 | 5 |
| Highest Total | 226/3 (20 overs) IPL 2015 | 203/3 (20 overs) IPL 2010 |
| Lowest Total | 119 all-out (19 overs) IPL 2017 | 88 all-out (13.4 overs) IPL 2015 |
| Winnings Batting First | 4 | 2 |
| Winnings Batting Second | 3 | 3 |
Key Insights from RCB vs PBKS Rivalry
- Since 2018, PBKS have never won a single game against RCB at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium.
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been dominant at home, having won 7 out of 12 games against PBKS.
- PBKS won the majority of its matches against RCB in successful run chases.
- Both PBKS and RCB haven’t yet faced off against each other in playoffs since the inaugural season in 2008.
Bengaluru Weather Forecast Updates for RCB vs PBKS IPL 2025 Match
The weather forecast reports reveal that the match between RCB and PBKS in Bengaluru will be played under a cloudy sky with slight chances of rain to cause interruptions during the game:
| Temperature | 25 °C to 30 °C |
| Wind Speed | 33 km/hr |
| Humidity | 59% |
| Dew Point | 18° |
| Cloud Cover | 34% |
| Rainfall Chances | 18% |
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Pitch Report and Toss Winning Skipper’s Expected Decision
The pitches at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru are famous for their batting-friendly nature, which has often hosted high-scoring thrillers in the T20 format. However, fast bowlers are likely to get assistance with the new ball in the initial overs.
As the dew factor comes into play in the second innings, it is understood that the toss-winning captain would certainly decide to bowl first so that the batting line-up could enjoy chasing down mammoth targets conveniently.
RCB vs PBKS IPL 2025 Possible Playing XI and Impact Subs List
The following players could be included in the playing XI and impact subs list of RCB and PBKS in the upcoming match:
RCB Strongest Probable Playing XI:
| S.No | Player | Role | Overseas/ Indian |
| 1. | Phil Salt | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Overseas |
| 2. | Virat Kohli | Batter | Indian |
| 3. | Rajat Patidar (Captain) | Batter | Indian |
| 4. | Liam Livingstone | All-rounder | Overseas |
| 5. | Jitesh Sharma | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Indian |
| 6. | Tim David | Batter | Overseas |
| 7. | Krunal Pandya | All-rounder | Indian |
| 8. | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Bowler | Indian |
| 9. | Josh Hazlewood | Bowler | Indian |
| 10. | Suyash Sharma | Bowler | Indian |
| 11. | Yash Dayal | Bowler | Indian |
RCB Most Preferred Impact Player (Out of 5 Substitutes):
| S.No | Player | Role | Overseas/ Indian | Expected Player to be substituted |
| 1. | Devdutt Padikkal (Preferred Choice) | Batter | Indian | Suyash Sharma |
| 2. | Rasikh Dar Salam | Bowler | Indian | |
| 3. | Manoj Bhandage | All-rounder | Indian | |
| 4. | Jacob Bethell | All-rounder | Overseas | |
| 5. | Swapnil Singh | All-rounder | Indian |
PBKS Strongest Probable Playing XI:
| S.No | Player | Role | Overseas/ Indian |
| 1. | Priyansh Arya | Batter | Indian |
| 2. | Prabhsimran Singh | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Indian |
| 3. | Shreyas Iyer (Captain) | Batter | Indian |
| 4. | Nehal Wadhera | Batter | Indian |
| 5. | Josh Inglis | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Overseas |
| 6. | Shashank Singh | All-rounder | Indian |
| 7. | Glenn Maxwell | All-rounder | Overseas |
| 8. | Marco Jansen | All-rounder | Overseas |
| 9. | Xavier Bartlett | Bowler | Overseas |
| 10. | Arshdeep Singh | Bowler | Indian |
| 11. | Yuzvendra Chahal | Bowler | Indian |
PBKS Most Preferred Impact Player (Out of 5 Substitutes):
| S.No | Player | Role | Overseas/ Indian | Expected Player to be substituted |
| 1. | Suryansh Shedge (Preferred Choice) | All-rounder | Indian | Prabhsimran Singh |
| 2. | Yash Thakur | Bowler | Indian | |
| 3. | Praveen Dubey | All-rounder | Indian | |
| 4. | Harpreet Brar | Bowler | Indian | |
| 5. | Vijaykumar Vyshak | Bowler | Indian |
IPL 2025 34th Match Winner Prediction: Royal Challengers Bengaluru or Punjab Kings?
Both RCB and PBKS have equal chances of winning the upcoming match, with each of them having a huge challenge to overcome. As RCB lost its 2 out of 2 matches at home this season, it could be an advantage for PBKS to make use of this chance to end their 7-year drought of securing a victory at M. Chinnaswamy stadium.
In conclusion, the team having a talented set of batters who can show their intent to accumulate runs in high-pressure situations is certain to triumph in the forthcoming clash.