Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Indian Premier League, 2025

FIFTY FOR TIM DAVID! The first half century of David's IPL career, and it could not have come at a better time for RCB. Speared in, very full, on middle, David clears his front leg and swipes it to the right of deep mid-wicket and comes charging back for the second run. 21 runs off the final over and RCB finish with 95 on the board!

SIX! Hat-trick of sixes from Tim David to close out the innings! Oh, hang on, the siren goes off for overstepping. Harpreet Brar goes for the wide yorker on off, Tim stays leg side of the ball and gets under the ball. Carves it over cover for yet another six. NO BALL called. Free Hit coming up.

SIX! TWO IN TWO! A freebie and Tim David climbs all over it! A half-tracker, slower in the air, on leg, David goes on the back foot and deposits it over square leg for six more.

SIX! Absolutely belted! Brar ends up offering width on off, on a nagging length, Tim frees his arms and parks it behind long off for a six.

On a nagging length, on middle, Tim David swats it on the bounce to deep mid-wicket. Three dots in a row!

Slows it down and this is a bit full, on middle. It is there in the slot but David loses his shape as he swings. Miscues it to deep square leg. No single taken.

Slanting in with the arm from around the wicket, on middle and leg, David ekes out an inside edge that rolls down to deep backward square leg.

Xavier keeps it full, around off, David takes it on the full and eases it with a straight bat to long off to keep the strike with a single.

Square leg comes up and backward point goes back on the fence. Xavier Bartlett goes for the wide yorker but does not quite get it full enough, Tim drills it to deep cover but does not take the single.

FOUR! Hammered away! Xavier Bartlett goes short and takes pace off, outside off. It sits up to be hit and David nails the pull all along the ground to the right of deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

An off-cutter into the surface, outside off, Tim waits for it on the back foot and cuts it to the left of deep point for a couple of runs.

FOUR! Agricultural but effective! A cross-seam delivery, on off, on a length, Tim David swings across the line with all his might and hits it to the right of deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Xavier Bartlett lands it full, on off, Tim David drives it down to long off but decides not to take the single.

Xavier Bartlett (2-0-15-1) comes back into the attack now.

Safely negotiated by Josh Hazlewood! From over the wicket to the left-hander, bowled from wide of the crease, turning in, on middle, Josh Hazlewood watchully defends.

Josh Hazlewood is the last batter in for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and will face the Hat-Trick ball from Harpreet Brar!

OUT! PLUMB IN FRONT! Harpreet Brar has two in two and RCB slip further into trouble. This slides on with the arm from around the wicket, at the stumps, on a length, Yash just hangs his bat out there to defend but the ball skids through and comes in with the arm to sneak past the inside edge. The ball brushes the front pad before hitting him on the back leg. The finger is raised. Dayal looks at David but decides to keep walking.

Yash Dayal is the next batter in for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

OUT! TAKEN! One shot too many for Bhuvneshwar Kumar! Harpreet Brar slows it down and gets the ball to spin away a bit from the right-hander, around off, on a nagging length, Bhuvneshwar Kumar goes for a cross-batted lofted stroke down the ground. Hits it straight down the throat of long off. Xavier Bartlett runs in a bit initially but does well in the end, taking a couple of steps back and getting both his hands over the head to complete the catch. RCB are now 63/8.

FOUR! Slammed away! Fired in, on off, on a nagging length, Bhuvneshwar Kumar gets the width he needs and slaps it to the left of cover for a boundary.

Darted in a bit fuller this time, Kumar goes on the back foot and tucks it to a straightish short mid-wicket.

Spears it in, short and on off, Bhuvneshwar Kumar plays it back to Brar.

Harpreet Brar comes into the attack now.

At the hips, Bhuvneshwar Kumar gets inside the line and glances it down to deep fine leg for one. The most productive over of the night so far for RCB. 12 runs off it.

Drags the length back, on off, David pats it to long off and takes the single. 11 runs off the over with a ball to go.

Pace taken off, on the fuller side, David firms the drive to the right of deep cover where Shashank Singh cuts it off with a slide. Two runs taken.

FOUR! Smart batting! Arshdeep errs in line as he offers width on off, on a back of a length, Tim stays leg side of the ball and carves it aerially but between backward point and short third for a boundary.

Just short! Angling across, on a good length, David does not move his feet at all and just goes at it with his hands. Chips it on the bounce to the man at mid off.

FOUR! 50 UP FOR RCB! Arshdeep Singh bangs it into the deck but the line is a bit too straight, around leg, David swivels on the back foot and pulls it to the right of deep square leg for a boundary.

Arshdeep Singh (2-0-11-2) comes back into the attack.

Shorter and quicker, on off, David punches it away to deep cover for a single.

Pushed through, short and on middle, Kumar punches it down to long on for a single.

Even slower this time, on off, Bhuvneshwar Kumar leans ahead and watchfully defends.

Loopy delivery, full and on middle, Kumar lunges to defend.

Flatter and shorter, on off, Tim uses the depth of the crease and dabs past backward point for a single.

Floated up, on middle, knocked down to long on for a single.

Back of length outside off, Bhuvneshwar Kumar punches this one into the off side towards deep extra cover and takes one.

Angling into the right-hander, on a back of a length, Kumar stabs it down on the off side.

Fuller in length, angling into the right-hander from round the wicket, the ball hits Bhuvneshwar Kumar's pads as he looks to flick this one. Dot ball.

On off, on a hard length, Bhuvneshwar Kumar pats it off the back foot to cover.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar walks in at number 9 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

OUT! LBW An appeal and given! Length ball that seams in and hits Manoj Bhandage's front pad as he looks to flick this one. Manoj Bhandage and Tim David at the non-striker's end have a chat, and they go for the review. Third umpire called in. No bat involved on UltraEdge. The Ball Tracking shows that the impact is in line and wickets is umpire's call with the ball clipping the leg stump. The on-field call stays, and the debutant Manoj Bhandage has to go.

Pitched up, on off, Manoj Bhandage plays it with a straight bat back to Jansen.

Just over! Tossed up, on off, Manoj Bhandage looks to flick this one and gets a leading edge which goes just over Chahal, who jumps up and puts out his right hand, but the ball goes just over his hand. The ball rolls down to long off. Single taken.

Turning into the left-hander from around the wicket, Manoj Bhandage hangs back to keep it out.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru bring Manoj Bhandage as their Impact Player. Manoj walks in at number 8. Liam Livingstone has been subbed out.

OUT! TAKEN! Wicket number 6 down for RCB! Nicely tossed up delivery around off, enticing the batter to go for the big one. Rajat Patidar accepts the offer and goes for the lofted hit over long off. He doesn't get it off the middle of the bat as he is deceived in the flight. The ball goes high in the air and Xavier Bartlett from long off runs in front and takes an easy catch.

Looped up, on off, David reaches out in front and thumps it down to long off for a single.

Quicker and shorter on leg stump, Tim David cautiously pushes it off the back foot to catching mid on. Dot ball.

Short and turning away, on off, Rajat waits back and whips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Well-directed bouncer to finish the over and Tim David has no answers as he just gets out of the way. Tim David and Rajat Patidar have a chat and they think it's a wide and decide to go for the review. Banged in short by Marco, Tim just sways away from the line. The ball is going over David's shoulder, but it is passing below his head. It's the first bouncer of the over. So wide won't be given and the on-field call stays.

Wide not given, and after a chat, Tim David has decided to send it upstairs. He reckons that the ball went over his head and it should be a wide for height. The tracker is in, and it shows that the ball is below the head. Fair delivery!

Short and angling across, this one skids through and Tim David looks to cut. Gets an underedge that goes to the right of the keeper.

Back of a length on middle, Patidar hops on the back foot as he works this one behind square towards fine leg for a single.

Good length, on off, Tim David taps it to the right of mid off for a single.

FOUR! CLUBBED! Tim David is up and running! Short on middle, Tim David pulls this one in front of square along the ground, as the ball goes racing away to the deep mid-wicket boundary.

Tim David is in at number 7.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! An excellent review from Punjab Kings! Marco Jansen digs it short and over middle, right at the batter's head. Krunal Pandya is hurried into the shot and also cramped for room. Looks to pull, but does so very awkwardly. The ball seems to take a faint outside edge and lobs to the off side off his helmet, and Jansen takes a simple catch. There are two noises and the players go up in unison, but the umpire deems it not out. Punjab opt for the review straight up. The UltraEdge shows a spike as the ball passes the bat, and the on-field call of NOT OUT is overturned to OUT.

Tossed up, fuller, on off, Krunal flicks it off the front foot to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Krunal Pandya walks in.

OUT! CAUGHT! Yuzvendra Chahal makes an immediate impact, and RCB slip further down. Bowls it a bit slower and keeps it on middle and leg, Jitesh Sharma plants his front leg across and looks to slog sweep but gets it high on the bat. The ball goes in front of deep backward square leg, and Nehal Wadhera from the ropes, charges in quickly to take a good running catch low in front. Punjab Kings have been phenomenal in the field, and that has only added to the woes of RCB so far.

In the air...but safe! Short in length, on middle, Patidar rocks on the back foot and plays the pull. He doesn't get it off the middle of the bat, as the ball hits the upper half and goes high in the air. It falls short of the deep mid-wicket fielder. Single taken.

Looped full, on off, Jitesh Sharma pushes it wide of cover for a single.

A touch fuller on off, Jitesh defends it off the front foot to short cover. Dot ball.

Yuzvendra Chahal comes into the attack now and tosses it up, on off, Rajat Patidar makes his intention clear and whips it hard to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Very short and outside off, Jitesh Sharma looks to ramp but plays all over it and misses. Solid over to start for Marco Jansen. Just the 3 runs off it.

Beautiful piece of bowling! Short of a good length, angling across with a bit of extra bounce, over middle and off. Jitesh Sharma hops back to miss it on the outside edge.

A bit too full, on off, Rajat Patidar firms his drive to cover for a single.

Angling across, on a length, around off, Sharma glides it to deep third and picks up a single to get off the mark.

Back of a length, over off, Jitesh Sharma blocks it down.

Starts from over the wicket and bowls it on a length, around off, Rajat Patidar steers it to deep third for a single.

Jitesh Sharma comes out to bat. Marco Jansen comes into the attack as the first change.

OUT! CAUGHT! This is turning out to be a horrendous start for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They lose three wickets in the Powerplay and end it at 26/3. Xavier Bartlett bowls it a bit fuller than a length, on off, Liam Livingstone, knowing it is the last ball with the field restrictions, gives the bowler a charge down the track and looks to power it back over the bowler's head. Fails to get to the pitch of the ball and slices it off the outer half of the bat over covers. Priyansh Arya calls for it, backtracks and takes a good catch.

Back of a length, over off, Liam Livingstone dabs it to point.

FOUR! That's three batters opening their accounts with a boundary. Liam Livingstone will draw plenty of confidence with that shot. On a length, outside off, Livingstone waits back and cuts it through point for a boundary.

Fuller in length, on off, Liam Livingstone drives it straight but Bartlett does well to make a stop on his follow-through.

Full and on middle, Rajat Patidar clips it to deep square leg for a single.

Hard length, on off, Rajat Patidar punches it off the upper half of the bat to mid off.

On a length, on off, Livingstone is a bit early into the drive and pushes it to mid off.

Fires in a yorker, just outside off, Liam Livingstone looks to squeeze it through the off side but misses.

Liam Livingstone is in next.

OUT! CAUGHT! Arshdeep Singh continues to make a big impact up front, and all of a sudden, Chinnaswamy is dead quiet. Short-ball ploy doing the trick for Singh once again as Royal Challengers Bengaluru lose both their openers for 21 runs. Short and on off, Virat Kohli settles himself on the back foot for the pull but miscues it over mid on. Marco Jansen backtracks a long way, keeps his eyes locked on the ball and takes a stunning catch while falling over behind.

Good running! On a length, on off, Rajat Patidar steers it to short third and the batters sneak a quick run.

Arshdeep Singh goes short and over off, Virat Kohli miscues his pull through mid-wicket and takes a single to get off the mark.

On a good length, on middle, shaping in a bit, Virat Kohli pushes it down the pitch.

Another well-timed shot, but it just plugs in the outfield. Full again from Xavier Bartlett on middle, Rajat Patidar gets his bottom hand into play and flicks it over mid on. Not very well timed, but gets enough on it. The ball sails over Marco Jansen there and just gets absorbed into the turf. The batters take two.

SIX! Sweetly timed! First of many to come tonight! Fuller and on middle and leg, Rajat Patidar stays rooted to the crease and flicks it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Something had to give. Xavier Bartlett goes a yard fuller and at the stumps, Rajat Patidar follows it with a big swing across. Gets a thickish outside edge over covers for a couple of runs.

Goes into the surface and over middle, Rajat Patidar turns it to mid-wicket. Three dots to start for Xavier Bartlett!

Top nut! Good length, on off and shaping away a fair bit. Rajat Patidar looks to push at it but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Starts from over the wicket and bowls it on a good length, into the hips, Rajat Patidar drops it down on the leg side and looks to sneak a run but is sent back by Virat Kohli and rightfully so.

Who will bowl from the other end? It will be Xavier Bartlett.

On a length, around off and middle, Rajat Patidar tucks it to mid-wicket and picks up a single. 9 runs and a wicket off Arshdeep Singh's first over.

FOUR! Second batter to face the bowler, and he manages to get off the blocks with a boundary too. Arshdeep Singh goes a bit too full and on the pads, Rajat Patidar flicks it neatly through mid-wicket for four runs.

The captain of RCB, Rajat Patidar, is in at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT! Arshdeep Singh gets the first big wicket and Phil Salt departs for just 4 runs off 4 balls. Arshdeep Singh bangs it into the surface, on a back of a length and angles it across the batter. The ball sticks to the surface a bit and Phil Salt is early on his pull. Gets a top edge that goes very high and in front of square leg. Josh Inglis, the keeper, calls for the catch and sprints across to his left and takes a fine catch. Royal Challengers Bengaluru are 4/1.

Lovely ball this from Singh. A yorker that tails back into the batter, Phil Salt shovels it to mid off.

Arshdeep Singh immediately pulls the length back, and keeps it over middle, Phil Salt dabs it down the deck.

FOUR! Just the kind of start that was on the cards! No need to assess the conditions for Phil Salt! Arshdeep Singh goes full and at the stumps, Salt shows the full face of the bat and drives it dead straight past the batter for a cracking boundary.

Thankfully, the drizzle didn’t hang around for long, and we didn’t have any further delays. The covers are off, the outfield is looking good, and we are finally set to get going. The decibel levels rise as the two RCB openers, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli, sprint out onto the centre. Arshdeep Singh will open the attack for the Kings. Salt will face the first ball. A slip in place. Here we go!

UPDATE - 9.41 pm IST (4.11 pm GMT) - Oh, dear! The rain has returned, and so have the covers. The ground staff are back at work, and we are once again waiting for the weather to clear up. Let’s hope it’s just a brief shower, and we can get this game underway soon. Stay tuned for further updates!

Impact players nominated by the Punjab Kings - Prabhsimran Singh, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge and Praveen Dubey.

Punjab Kings (Playing XI) - Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (C), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Josh Inglis (WK), Marcus Stoinis (In for Glenn Maxwell), Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar (In for Prabhsimran Singh), Yuzvendra Chahal, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh.

Impact players nominated by Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Devdutt Padikkal, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell and Swapnil Singh.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Suyash Sharma, Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.

The captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajat Patidar, says that they as a team need to be smart in adapting to the conditions, and he expects the wicket to be sticky. Reckons that the overhead conditions won't have much of an effect and that they will try to put a good total on the board. Informs that they are going with the same team as the last game.

Shreyas Iyer, the skipper of Punjab Kings, says since it's a rain-interrupted game and with a reduction of overs, bowling first is the right choice, and it was the plan in place. Mentions that Marcus Stoinis and Harpreet Brar come into the team. Stresses that on this ground, the right fielders will have to be in the right place, cutting angles and hopes for them to execute all the plans set for this game.

TOSS - Punjab Kings win the flip of the coin and they will BOWL first.

UPDATE - 9.24 pm IST (3.54 pm GMT) - The news we have all been waiting for is finally here! The toss is set to take place at 9.30 pm IST (4 pm GMT) with the first ball to be bowled at 9.45 pm IST (4.15 pm GMT). It will be a 14-over-per-side contest. The Powerplay will be of 4 overs and 4 bowlers will be allowed to bowl a maximum of 3 overs each. Strap in, we are in for a cracking game with plenty of fireworks!

UPDATE - 9.08 pm IST (3.38 pm GMT) - The entire square has been uncovered, and the hessian on the pitch has also been removed. Over to the Super Soppers now, but given the efficiency of this venue’s drainage system, it shouldn't take long for the ground staff to get the field ready for play. The pitch is being rolled, and Virat Kohli is the first to make his way out for the warm-ups. Promising signs all around!

UPDATE - 8.58 pm IST (3.28 pm GMT) - Positive news! The rain has stopped, and the fourth umpire is already out there, having a chat with the ground staff. The crowd has found their voices, and you guessed it right – the ground staff is starting to peel off the covers. The Super Soppers are in action too, and these are all promising signs that we might be seeing play soon. Stay tuned!

UPDATE - 8.50 pm IST (3.20 pm GMT) - We have now started to lose overs. The rain intensity isn't heavy, but it's enough to keep the covers on and the players waiting. As mentioned earlier, the drainage at this venue is among the best in the country, which should lead to a quick turnaround once the rain stops. The latest the game can start for a 5-over contest is 10.56 pm IST (5.26 pm GMT).

UPDATE - 8.30 pm IST (3 pm GMT) - We have hit the one-hour mark since the scheduled start, and as is the case in T20 matches, there's typically a 60-minute buffer before overs start getting deducted. That should hold true tonight as well, though we are still waiting on official confirmation. Fingers crossed the rain eases off soon so we can get some play in!

UPDATE - 8.05 pm IST (2.35 pm GMT) - Unfortunately, we come bearing bad news, not the kind we were hoping for. The rain has picked up in intensity and the covers are firmly in place. The wait gets longer, folks. Stay with us as we continue to hope for a break in the weather.

While we wait for the drizzle to ease up, let’s take a look at two key players to watch out for in this clash - two former RCB stars who’ll be raring to make a statement, not just for the team, but to prove a point of their own. First up, Yuzvendra Chahal, a seasoned campaigner who knows this venue like the back of his hand. While most bowlers have found it tough going here, Chahal has thrived, making this ground a personal hunting ground. Then there’s Glenn Maxwell, who’s had a couple of really strong seasons at this very venue. With his explosive batting and game-changing flair, this could be the perfect stage for him to rediscover his rhythm and get back to form. Both players bring that plethora of experience at the Chinnaswamy, making them ones to watch if and when we get back underway.

UPDATE - 7.27 pm IST (1.57 pm GMT) - Uh oh, just when it looked like we were in the clear, the drizzle has made an unwelcome return, dampening the mood once again. But it’s not all gloomy, the forecast still leans in our favour, and if the radar holds true, this passing spell shouldn't last long. Fingers crossed, we’re still on track to get the game rolling soon.

UPDATE - 7.14 pm IST (1.44 pm GMT) - Good news! The rain has finally come to a standstill, and the fourth umpire is out to assess the situation. The ground staff have just started making their way out, though we can see puddles have formed on the covers. It will take some time to get the ground ready, but we are hopeful for a start soon! Stick around.

UPDATE - 6.59 pm IST (1.29 pm GMT) - The flip of the coin has been DELAYED as the drizzle just refuses to let up! The good news? This venue boasts one of the best drainage systems in the country, so once the rain does ease up, the ground staff should be able to get things ready fairly quickly. But for now, a prompt start looks a bit far-fetched. Stay tuned!

Tonight is not just another night, but a special occasion. It was on this very day back in 2008 that the journey of the Indian Premier League began, and it all started at this very venue. Unfortunately, rain threatens to play spoilsport, with persistent drizzle lingering over the past hour or so. Visuals from the ground show players from both sides waiting in their respective dressing rooms as the rain continues to fall steadily. Stick around as we hope for the weather to clear up soon.

On the other hand, PBKS produced a performance for the ages in their last game, as they successfully defended the lowest score of the IPL against KKR. With that win, the Kings will be very high on confidence, and they are certainly looking stronger than ever. Yuzvendra Chahal’s comeback to form is a big relief, and they would be hoping for the IPL’s highest wicket-taker to continue his good work in the game against RCB. However, their batting collapsed like anything in the last game, and they would be trying to rub it off as a one-off performance and would be looking to start afresh in this game.

RCB are coming off a dominant victory over RR as they chased down a target of 174 in the 18th over. Phil Salt getting back amongst runs is a big plus for them, whereas Virat Kohli has batted with a very positive intent and has delivered consistently. However, one issue they would be looking to address in this game is their middle and lower order’s form, which has been a bit shaky at times, as they have lost wickets in bulk. In their bowling, their pace attack of Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal has done a very good job upfront, as they have taken consistent wickets in the Powerplay. However, their issue has been in the middle overs, where the spinners have failed to take consistent wickets.

Hello and welcome to match number 34, where the Royal Challengers Bengaluru are taking on the Punjab Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. It’s the 3rd placed team on the points table taking on the team sitting in the 4th spot, and this promises to be a blockbuster Friday night. Both teams have 4 wins from 6 games, and both come into this contest on the back of a win

... MATCH DAY ...

The start of the match is delayed due to rain! Preview - As the midpoint approaches, things are really heating up now in this 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League. It has served entertainment aplenty with bone-chilling moments in the last week. We have seen a mammoth total of 246 being chased down, while also witnessed a below run-a-ball total of 111 being defended. Breaking all the mathematical barriers, Match number 34 is expected to be another thriller as the high-flying Royal Challengers Bengaluru welcome a rejuvenated Punjab Kings outfit to their fortress at Chinnaswamy. It promises another thriller in a season that's already shattered expectations and statistical logic. RCB, perched impressively at third on the table, enter with their recent form reading like binary code - loss, win, loss, win in their last four outings. Fresh from dismantling Rajasthan Royals, they'll be desperate to break this alternating pattern and cement their top-four credentials as the table compresses with every passing game. RCB’s batting arsenal has been in a fine form with Phil Salt providing the early fireworks while run-machine Virat Kohli continues his golden touch with three half-centuries already, keeping him firmly in the Orange Cap race. First-time skipper Rajat Patidar has led from the front, combining fearless leadership with explosive batting contributions, including two fifties of his own. RCB's middle order strength has masked Padikkal's struggles, with the batter desperately seeking form after being given a long rope to prove himself. The bowling department has found its rhythm with overseas star Josh Hazlewood breaking into the top wicket-takers list, well supported by the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar and ably backed by Yash Dayal, forming a threatening pace trio. Despite pre-season skepticism surrounding their spin options, Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma have risen to the challenge admirably, delivering clutch performances in pressure situations and proving the doubters wrong. If there's one team that embodies the wild, unpredictable spirit of T20 cricket, it's Punjab Kings. Just days after their bowlers were obliterated in a record-breaking chase, where they failed to defend a mammoth total of 245, they turned the script on its head by pulling off a miraculous defense of 111. Only possible in the IPL, right? Openers Prabhsimran Singh and the young sensation Priyansh Arya have been providing the fireworks upfront, but the middle order remains a puzzle. Captain Shreyas Iyer's form is a tale of two extremes. On the road, he’s been a run-glutton scoring 97, 52, 82, respectively, but at home, he’s managed a paltry 19 runs in three innings, including a duck. Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell's prolonged slump is bordering on bizarre. As across the last two IPL seasons, he hasn’t even crossed 100 runs total. Though Big Show’s handy off-breaks have offered some consolation. The silver lining? Yuzvendra Chahal's resurgence. After a lukewarm start, the wily leg-spinner roared back with a match-defining 4/28, reminding everyone why he’s still among the best in the business. Pace-wise, Arshdeep Singh has been the consistent performer with him finding decent support from his other pace colleagues. Both teams are so closely contested which also reflects in their head to head stats as PBKS enjoy a minimal 17-16 lead over RCB. However, RCB can take inspiration from their recent performance as they haven’t lost against Punjab Kings since 2022, with a 3-0 record at their home ground against this opposition in their last three meets here. With everything to play for and only net run rate separating these sides on the table, cricket fans should brace themselves for another high-octane clash.