Last Updated on 1 month by Charbel Coorey

It’s a match made in IPL heaven. Two of the perennial underachievers – Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) – go head-to-head in what promises to be a mouthwatering contest with qualification to Sunday’s final up for grabs. There has pain and near misses for these two franchises over the years, so who handles the pressure better will be crucial.

PBKS play their first playoffs’ game since 2014. They beat Mumbai Indians in a crunch match earlier this week to finish top of the table and have a shot at reaching the final here. They have the crucial experience of leadership duo Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting to guide a somewhat inexperienced team when it comes to these types of matches. Also, they have found ways to win in Mullanpur, with their defence of 111 against KKR the most famous.

For RCB, they too managed to qualify for the top two in stunning fashion, chasing 228 against Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday. Jitesh Sharma was the unsung hero, hammering his first-ever IPL fifty at the perfect time to seal a remarkable victory. However, RCB will want to be on their game with the ball after Rishabh Pant and Mitchell Marsh took them apart, so Josh Hazlewood’s return is handy. Also, how quickly they can settle after a very quick turnaround from their last game will be interesting to see.

In this article, we will look at the possible playing XIIs, Mullanpur pitch report, fantasy cricket tips and Dream11 prediction for Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025.

IPL 2025 Qualifier 1: PBKS vs RCB Possible Playing XIIs

Marco Jansen is unavailable due to preparations for the upcoming World Test Championship Final. Azmatullah Omarzai could replace him in the XI.

Punjab Kings: 1. Priyansh Arya, 2. Prabhsimran Singh, 3. Josh Inglis (wk), 4. Shreyas Iyer (c), 5. Nehal Wadhera, 6. Shashank Singh, 7. Marcus Stoinis, 8. Azmatullah Omarzai, 9. Kyle Jamieson, 10. Harpreet Brar, 11. Arshdeep Singh, 12. Yuzvendra Chahal

Josh Hazlewood is likely to slot in for Nuwan Thushara, despite the latter’s excellent performance against LSG. Tim David is unlikely to play due to his hamstring injury, according to Cricbuzz.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 1. Virat Kohli, 2. Phil Salt, 3. Mayank Agarwal, 4. Rajat Patidar (c), 5. Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6. Krunal Pandya, 7. Liam Livingstone, 8. Romario Shepherd, 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10. Yash Dayal, 11. Josh Hazlewood, 12. Suyash Sharma

Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium Mullanpur Pitch Report and Weather

It has been a real mixed bag in Mullanpur this season. The first two matches saw three 200-plus totals. The next game saw PBKS defend 111 against KKR on a surface offering assistance for both seam and spin bowlers.

Pacers have taken 28 wickets in four matches. Spinners have picked up 23. A hot and clear night is forecast with a top of about 30 degrees.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for PBKS vs RCB: Top Picks/Key Players to Watch

Top wicket-keeper picks:

• Josh Inglis won man of the match against MI for his superb 42-ball 73. He smashed 32 off 12 balls in the previous game as well.
• Prabhsimran Singh is one run away from notching up 500 for the season. Singh looked good against RCB earlier this season, hitting 33 off 16 balls in the powerplay before he was dismissed by Krunal.
• Phil Salt offers great fantasy potential at the top. He has scores of 62 (vs SRH) and 30 (vs LSG) in his past two matches. If he gets through his difficult matchup against Arshdeep, he can get a significant score.

Key batter picks:

• Virat Kohli has struck six fifties in his past eight games, including 73* against PBKS on this ground. Kohli has an average of 46.5 and strike rate of 182.4 against Arshdeep Singh (51 balls, 93 runs).
• Shreyas Iyer is in fine form. He has scores of 25*, 72, 45, 30, 53 and 26* in his past six innings. However, he missed out twice against RCB earlier this season and has struggled at Mullanpur in IPL 2025 with scores of 10, 9, 0 and 6.

Top all-rounder picks:

• Krunal Pandya is key. Expect RCB to use him early against Josh Inglis. Inglis has been dismissed four times by spin in IPL 2025 at an average of 16 and strike rate of 152.4. Krunal is striking every 15.6 deliveries against right-handed batters this season (10 wickets).

Key bowler picks:

• Arshdeep Singh will be crucial especially in the powerplay. He has a dominant record against Phil Salt in all T20s: 32 balls, 25 runs, four wickets.
• Josh Hazlewood is also crucial in the early and backend overs. He dismissed Priyansh Arya in the last meeting and has a dominant record against Shreyas Iyer in the IPL: 19 balls, nine runs, three wickets.
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar has excellent head-to-head numbers against PBKS’ key players. He has dismissed Prabhsimran Singh four times in 36 balls (59 runs) and Shreyas Iyer three times in 50 balls for just 45 runs.

Other Players to Consider for your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Harpreet Brar has a fantastic record against RCB. The left-arm spinner has picked up 11 wickets at an average of 19.3 and strike rate of 15.3.
• Jitesh Sharma comes into this game with great confidence after smashing a 33-ball 85 against LSG.
• Priyansh Arya stormed back into form with 62 (35) against MI. His matchup against Hazlewood will be important.
• Yuzvendra Chahal has had an up-and-down season but can come in handy against Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal (see below).
• Romario Shepherd can offer a good point of difference as he bowls 2-3 overs and can finish strongly with the bat. He smashed 53 off 14 balls against CSK recently.

Other Stats and Important Matchups

• Head-to-head: PBKS 18, RCB 17.
• RCB and PBKS both won a game against each other in the IPL 2025 league stage.
• Yuzvendra Chahal vs Jitesh Sharma in the IPL: 39 balls, 43 runs, four wickets.
• Yuzvendra Chahal vs Mayank Agarwal in the IPL: 51 balls, 75 runs, seven wickets.
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Marcus Stoinis in all T20s: 14 balls, 19 runs, one wicket.
• Josh Hazlewood vs Marcus Stoinis in all T20s: 16 balls, 21 runs, one wicket.
• Harpreet Brar vs Virat Kohli in the IPL: 67 balls, 74 runs, two wickets.

IPL 2025 Qualifier 1: PBKS vs RCB Dream11 Prediction

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams. 

Option 1:

Option 2:

IPL 2025 Qualifier 1: PBKS vs RCB Match Prediction

A very difficult match to predict. Two very good sides go head-to-head in what promises to be a cracker. Josh Hazlewood’s return could prove to be a very big boost, so RCB is our pick to win.

Disclaimer: The fantasy cricket stats, tips and predictions provided on CricBlog are intended for informational purposes, with the stats and writer’s views in place to guide fans in creating their teams. While we strive to offer accurate and insightful advice, CricBlog does not guarantee success or winnings in any fantasy contests. Users are encouraged to make their own informed decisions and play responsibly.