RCB Come In Hot, PBKS Guard Their Turf
Cricket fans barely had time to catch their breath after the latest thriller, and here come IPL 2025's Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru for another round. Both sides know what's at stake. PBKS are hunting down the top of the table, while RCB, undefeated on the road this season, want to remind everyone why they're one of the most feared traveling teams. Back-to-back fixtures crank up the pressure, keeping players, coaches, and fans on edge.
The Mullanpur Stadium usually delivers for both batters and bowlers. There's talk about a surface that's great for stroke makers early on, but keeps the seamers and spinners interested later. You don't want to face RCB’s bowlers when the sun starts to set, especially if you're chasing. Add in local weather that promises to stay sunny and steady around 30°C, and this shapes up to be a full-length, high-scoring battle, minus any rain delays.
Lineups, Key Battles, and Match-Ups to Watch
Everyone’s eyes are drawn to the head-to-heads—Kohli versus Iyer, Padikkal’s new flair against Arshdeep’s swing, and Harshal Patel’s death bowling skills tested by PBKS’s deep batting. RCB look set to roll out an unchanged eleven. Their confidence in on-song players—particularly Kohli (who hit 73* last time) and Padikkal (walking tall off his 61)—means minimal tinkering. Harshal Patel will handle the pressure overs, with Karthik’s composure giving support from behind the stumps.
PBKS will fight fire with fire. Iyer’s captaincy has turned them into a more stubborn outfit while Sam Curran and Arshdeep bring both wickets and control. Nathan Ellis has enjoyed sneaking in with key breakthroughs, and Rabada always looks threatening on familiar pitches. Matthew Short and Liam Livingstone offer that left-field batting punch, while Jitesh Sharma can clear the fence in the clutch overs. Home ground can pile on the expectations, but this crowd always turns up loud—it’s a pressure PBKS have learned to feed off.
Here’s how both squads are set to start:
- PBKS: Shreyas Iyer (c), Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Short, Harpreet Brar, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Prabhsimran Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran.
- RCB: Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Harshal Patel, Karn Sharma, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mohammed Siraj, Michael Bracewell, Kunal Rajput, Akash Deep.
RCB’s 100% away record is rare in any era of the IPL. They’ve adapted to every setting, from Pune to Jaipur, thanks to bold captaincy and a batting order that gives no breathing room. But PBKS’s win last time and the Mullanpur crowd are tough obstacles. Someone like Curran can tip the game with a fine spell or quickfire 40. On the flip side, Kohli, with his sharp focus, just loves an away crowd.
This is more than just any regular season game—it’s a clash where momentum can turn a campaign’s direction. Tactical questions and individual showdowns should keep this one close right till the final over.
Kaviya A
April 21, 2025 AT 21:04this is gonna be wild i swear to god
Nilisha Shah
April 23, 2025 AT 01:28The strategic depth of this matchup is fascinating. PBKS’s ability to rotate strike under pressure, particularly with Short and Livingstone, creates a unique dynamic against RCB’s death-over specialists. The pitch behavior post-30 overs will be the real decider, not just individual brilliance.
Supreet Grover
April 24, 2025 AT 20:51From a T20 analytics standpoint, RCB’s net run rate differential in away games this season is +1.87, which is statistically anomalous. PBKS’s home win probability drops 34% when facing teams with >40% boundary rate in powerplay - RCB hits 47%.
Saurabh Jain
April 26, 2025 AT 15:47It’s interesting how both teams reflect regional cricket cultures - PBKS with their mix of Punjab grit and global T20 flair, RCB with that classic South Indian discipline. This isn’t just sport, it’s a mirror.
Suman Sourav Prasad
April 27, 2025 AT 15:17I mean, come on, Harshal Patel is just a nightmare at the death, right?? Like, he doesn’t even need to bowl a yorker - just a well-disguised slower ball and boom, game over. And Arshdeep? He’s got that swing that makes batters question their life choices. This is gonna be a masterpiece.
Nupur Anand
April 28, 2025 AT 10:02Let’s be honest - RCB’s ‘unbeaten away record’ is a media myth. They’ve played three away games against bottom-half teams with porous spin attacks. PBKS have a top-3 bowling unit, a genuine all-rounder in Curran, and Iyer’s captaincy has evolved beyond ‘just hit big’. Kohli’s 73* was against a bowling attack that couldn’t find the crease. This isn’t a battle - it’s a reckoning.
Vivek Pujari
April 29, 2025 AT 05:28This is why we need more analytics and less emotional bias. 📊 RCB’s win rate when Hasaranga bowls in the middle overs is 92%. PBKS’s powerplay strike rate drops 28% when Arshdeep opens. The numbers don’t lie. 🙏
Ajay baindara
April 30, 2025 AT 17:43You people are delusional. PBKS are a mess. Arshdeep can’t handle pressure, Iyer is overrated, and Curran’s just a fancy name for a guy who gets hit for sixes. RCB will crush them like they crushed SRH. No debate.
mohd Fidz09
April 30, 2025 AT 23:21This is not just cricket - this is destiny. India’s soul is on this pitch. RCB? They represent the urban elite, cold and calculating. PBKS? They are the heartbeat of the villages, the farmers, the chai-wallahs, the ones who still believe in magic. When Rabada runs in, he doesn’t just bowl - he carries the weight of Punjab’s pride. This isn’t a match. It’s a revolution.
Rupesh Nandha
May 2, 2025 AT 14:57There’s something poetic about how both teams approach the game. RCB’s faith in continuity - no changes, no panic - reflects a deep trust in process. PBKS, on the other hand, are like jazz musicians, improvising with every over. One relies on structure, the other on intuition. Neither is right. Both are beautiful.
suraj rangankar
May 4, 2025 AT 11:42Alright team, listen up - this is your moment. PBKS, you’ve got the crowd, you’ve got the weapons, now go out there and own it. RCB, you’ve got the record, now prove it’s not luck. Every ball matters. Every run counts. This is why we love the game - no second chances. GO GET IT!
Nadeem Ahmad
May 6, 2025 AT 11:40I think the weather will stay clear. 30°C is perfect. No drama.
Aravinda Arkaje
May 8, 2025 AT 06:14Kohli’s focus in away games? Legendary. But don’t sleep on Jitesh Sharma - that man has ice in his veins. If PBKS can get him to the 16th over with 40 on the board, they win. Simple as that. Keep believing.
kunal Dutta
May 9, 2025 AT 23:23Honestly, the real X-factor here is Karthik’s strike rate in the death - 192.3 in the last 10 overs this season. RCB’s middle order is a ticking bomb. PBKS need to target him early. Also, Arshdeep’s reverse swing at 18m/s? Chef’s kiss. 🤫
Yogita Bhat
May 11, 2025 AT 04:10Oh please. RCB’s ‘unbeaten away record’? That’s because they’ve only played weak teams. PBKS have beaten CSK at home, outplayed MI in the rain, and dismantled GT with spin. This isn’t a challenge - it’s a correction. Kohli’s ego can’t save them from Curran’s left-arm angles and Livingstone’s 140+ SR.
Supreet Grover
May 12, 2025 AT 04:20Actually, Iyer’s captaincy has improved PBKS’s net run rate by 0.92 since the start of the season - highest among all captains with 10+ matches. RCB’s is static. That’s not luck. That’s leadership.