New Delhi: With nine wins and four defeats each, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have near identical campaigns in IPL 2025 so far. They have claimed the top two slots in the standings after the league stage and are only separated by decimal points in net run rate. But now they could different ways.
Whoever wins their Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur on Thursday will enter the title round while the other would get a second bite at the cherry in the Eliminator, owing to the top-two finish.
Both are aiming for their maiden title with Punjab qualifying for the play-offs for the first time in 10 years and RCB playing in the final back in 2016.
But both have come a long way since then. Punjab are a transformed side under their new set of skipper-coach Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting. The duo re-united after taking Delhi Capitals to the final in 2020.
Sans the baggage of failure of past seasons, they have been like a breath of fresh air to the northern franchise, with their opening pair of Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya complementing middle-order operators Iyer, Josh Inglis and finishers Shashank Singh, Australian import Marcus Stoinis.
Under Rajat Patidar, RCB have also found a fresh wind with openers Virat Kohli, Phil Salt and new-ball pacer Josh Hazlewood being their standout performers.
Injuries
Change in team combinations is bound to happen for both teams in the play-offs, which could snap the rhythm these teams have enjoyed in the league stage.
Punjab wouldn’t have South African Marco Jansen as he has returned home for national duty with pressure falling on Kyle Jamieson to partner the consistent Arshdeep Singh up front.
Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is expected to return after missing two games with a finger injury.
Hazlewood and Tim David are expected to shake off their niggles to add more balance and depth to RCB for whom Jitesh Sharma has sparkled in the middle order.
RCB had beaten Punjab at their home ground in Mullanpur earlier in the tournament and would go in into the contest with that confidence.
Squads:
Punjab Kings: Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Praveen Dubey, Priyansh Arya, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett, Kuldeep Sen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Mitchell Owen, Kyle Jamieson.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Swastik Chikara, Jitesh Sharma, Philip Salt, Manoj Bhandage, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Liam Livingstone, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Suyash Sharma, Mohit Rathee, Abhinandan Singh, Mayank Agarawal, Blessing Muzarabani, Tim Seifert.
Match begins 7.30 PM.
Live on Star Sports Network and jiohotstar.
Punjab Kings take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 in Mullanpur on Thursday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
