IPL Qualifier 1 PBKS vs RCB Prediction, Betting Tips, Head-to-head and Pitch Report

PBKS vs RCB Prediction

The league stage is complete, and now attention turns to the playoffs. First up is the qualifier 1 game featuring the Punjab Kings against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (PBKS vs RCB). The game is scheduled for May 29 at 7:30 P.M. at the Mullanpur Cricket Stadium located in Chandigarh.

• The IPL 2025 qualifier 1 will feature a match between the Punjab Kings and the Gujarat Titans. The team that claims victory in the match would secure their spot in the IPL 2025 final.
• The Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have shown similar performance levels in the IPL 2025 season. Hitting and bowling have been performing excellently all season.
• RCB bowlers have faced challenges in the absence of Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood. Luckily for them, the Aussie is set to play in this match.

PBKS vs RCB: Match Preview

Punjab Kings: Preview

• Following his success in leading the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to victory in IPL 2024, Shreyas Iyer has now taken the Punjab Kings to the top position in the standings. The Kings’ have been among the top teams in the IPL 2025 season, achieving 9 victories, 4 defeats, and sharing points with KKR.
• Punjab Kings convincingly defeated the Mumbai Indians in their previous match to secure the top position in the standings. Pursuing a target of 185, both Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya hit fifties to secure victory by 7 wickets.
• The batting has been the main strength of Punjab Kings this season, especially the top three comprising Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, and captain Shreyas Iyer.
• Captain Shreyas Iyer leads the team in runs scored, accumulating 514 runs over 14 innings. Prabhsimran Singh has tallied 499 runs, while debutant Priyansh Arya has accumulated 424 runs.
• The batting depth of Punjab Kings is clearly evident as Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, and Josh Inglis have accumulated 298, 284, and 197 runs respectively.
• Regarding bowling, the beginning was poor, but they made considerable progress as the season advanced. Arshdeep Singh leads the team in wickets taken, boasting a total of 18, while Marco Jansen and Yuzvendra Chahal have claimed 16 and 14 wickets, respectively.
• Bowlers such as Harpreet Brar and Azmatullah Omarzai have also claimed wickets when the team required them.

RCB Preview

• The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is another team that has consistently performed well in the IPL 2025 season. In 14 games, he has secured 9 victories, faced 4 defeats, and one match against KKR was canceled because of rain.
• RCB snatched the win from the jaws of loss against the Lucknow Super Giants, propelled by their batting performance, particularly their temporary captain Jitesh Sharma, who delivered an astonishing innings of 85 runs off 33 balls.
• RCB has performed remarkably well with both bat and ball this season. Phil Salt and Virat Kohli at the top have shown excellent form, while Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, and Romario Shepherd have made significant contributions. The condition of Rajat Patidar, however, is worrisome.
• Virat Kohli leads the team in runs with a total of 602, whereas Phil Salt has accumulated 331 runs to date. Rajat Patidar, despite scoring 271, is underperforming compared to his usual standard.
• In terms of bowling, RCB has certainly felt the absence of their key Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood. The team has faced the most difficulties without him, suffering a loss to SRH and allowing over 200 runs against LSG in the previous match.
• The positive update is, Josh Hazlewood will return for the game. He is the top wicket-taker for the team, having taken 18 wickets in 10 games. Krunal Pandya has claimed 15 wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal have contributed 14 and 10 wickets, respectively.

Recent Form (Last 5 Matches)

PBKS: W, W, W, L, W*
RCB: W, W, W, L, W*

PBKS vs RCB Probable XI

PBKS Probable XI: Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis, Shreyas Iyer (C), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Vijayakumar Vyshak.

Impact Player: Prabhsimran Singh

RCB Probable XI: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma.

Impact Player: Mayank Agarwal

Head-to-Head

PBKS vs RCB: Pitch, Toss & Weather Reports

• Pitch & Toss Update – The Mullanpur Cricket Stadium located in Chandigarh is known for its high scoring games. Batsmen feel at ease when executing shots. Pacers receive greater support from the pitch compared to the spinners. Scores ranging from 190 to 210 are anticipated to be a partial score at the location. However, we have also observed that batters struggle to accumulate runs when bowlers deliver with accurate line and length.

Teams batting first have had greater success at the venue. Getting the high score on the board has been the preferred approach. Therefore, anticipate that the captain who wins the toss will choose to bat first.

• Weather Report – The weather prediction for Chandigarh on Thursday indicates it will be predominantly sunny. The peak temperature is anticipated to reach 39°C in the afternoon. Throughout the match hours, temperatures will hover around 30°C. There is a 0% chance of rain all day. Thus, the match is not at risk of rain.

PBKS vs RCB Betting Tips

All Bets are taken from BC Games