IPL 2025: PBKS vs RCB Match Update
The IPL 2025 action continues as Punjab Kings (PBKS) take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a rain-impacted encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18, Friday. The match, which was initially set to begin at 7 PM IST, got delayed due to steady drizzle. But now, after the revised playing conditions, we have a 14-over per side game!
The Toss: PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and made the decision to bowl first. According to Iyer, the weather-affected match gives the team a good chance to assess how the wicket will play and chase down the total later. He also made a few changes to the squad with Stoinis coming in for Maxwell, and Harpreet Brar making his way into the playing XI.
“We will bowl first. It’s a good ground to chase and with the rain delay, we’ll have a fair idea of how the wicket will play. The plan was always to bowl first. Stoinis is in for Maxwell, and Brar comes in. We need to have the right players at the right place, especially the angles,” said Shreyas Iyer.
RCB’s Take on the Toss: On the other hand, Rajat Patidar, RCB’s captain, was understandably disappointed but optimistic about his team’s chances. Patidar acknowledged that adapting to the sticky conditions would be key and hoped to put up a good total on the board. He also revealed some doubts regarding the impact player substitution.
“We have to be smart in adapting to the conditions, we’ll try our best. The surface looks hard, but a bit sticky. We’ll aim to set a good total. The same team, though I’m still figuring out the impact player strategy,” said Rajat Patidar.
Playing XIs for Both Teams
RCB’s Playing XI:
- Philip Salt
- Virat Kohli
- Rajat Patidar (C)
- Liam Livingstone
- Jitesh Sharma (W)
- Tim David
- Krunal Pandya
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Josh Hazlewood
- Suyash Sharma
- Yash Dayal
RCB’s Impact Subs: Devdutt Padikkal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh
PBKS’s Playing XI:
- Priyansh Arya
- Nehal Wadhera
- Shreyas Iyer (C)
- Shashank Singh
- Josh Inglis (W)
- Marcus Stoinis
- Marco Jansen
- Harpreet Brar
- Xavier Bartlett
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yuzvendra Chahal
PBKS’s Impact Subs: Prabhsimran Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Suryansh Shedge, Glenn Maxwell, Praveen Dubey
IPL 2025 Points Table Snapshot: Both RCB and PBKS are neck-and-neck in the points table, with RCB holding the third spot and PBKS close behind at fourth. Both teams have played six matches, won four, and lost two, though RCB has a slight edge due to a better net run rate.
Head-to-Head Record: When it comes to head-to-head records, these two teams have faced off 33 times in IPL history. RCB has 16 victories under their belt, while PBKS leads with 17 wins, making this match a thrilling encounter.
Conclusion: With both teams in solid form, this match promises to be an exciting contest! Who will come out on top? Only time will tell. Stay tuned for more updates on the game!
