RCB vs PBKS Highlights, IPL 2025 Qualifier 1: Bengaluru Thrash Punjab To Reach Final After 9 Years

Hello and welcome to the Highlights of Qualifier 1 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur. The winner of this clash will directly enter the final, while the loser gets another shot via Qualifier 2.

The Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru will kich off at 7:30 PM IST with toss time scheduled at 7:00 PM IST.

Get here the streaming details.

Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, both have faced each other 35 times in the IPL history with RCB having one match edge over PBKS.

LAast time when both the teams faced each other RCB defetated PBKS on their home ground.

Her is the full detailed story from both the temas rivalry.

Weather is expected to remain mostly favourable for the clash on Thursday. According to forecasts, there is only a 1% chance of rain, with 50% cloud cover likely during the match. However, in the unlikely event of a washout, Punjab Kings will advance directly to the IPL 2025 final on the basis of finishing at the top of the league table.

The venue has provided high-scoring encounters early in the tournament, with batters enjoying the pace and bounce on offer. Square boundaries are short, which helps stroke players to capitalize, especially during the powerplay and at the death.

Read the full weather and picth report here.

Punjab Kings, led by Shreyas Iyer, are something different this season. After 11 years of drought, they've finally secured a playoff spot--and not just any spot, but the top one! The team, still chasing their first-ever Indian Premier League trophy, will face another hungry rival--Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a trophyless side also hunting for glory under Rajat Patidar in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 on Thursday, May 29, in Mohali.

Who will guide their team to final today? Read the analysis here.

Rajat Patidar returns for RCB as a captain...

Royal Challengers Bengaluru win toss and elect to bowl first against Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.

Shreyas Iyer, PBKS Captain: Would have bowled first as well. If you look at the record here, teams batting first have done well, so I am optimistic. They have been tremendous and you need such kind of vibration when you enter the ground and it gives us a lot of energy as well

Rajat Patidar, RCB Captain: We will bowl first. Wicket looks very hard, decent covering of grass and will try to maximise the first few overs. Everyone gave more than 100 percent in the last game, Jitesh Salt and Kohli they were tremendous. One change for us. Hazlewood comes in place of Thushara.

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Kyle Jamieson

Impact Substitutes: Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Musheer Khan, Xavier Bartlet.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Rajat Patidar(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma

Impact Substitutes: Mayank Agarawal, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Tim Seifert, Swapnil Singh.

Yuzvendra Chahal remains absent from the playing XI despite warming up ahead of the match, raising concerns about his full recovery from the recent wrist injury. Notably, he's missing from the impact substitutes list as well, suggesting he's still not match-ready. On the other hand, RCB have opted to bring back Josh Hazlewood, who replaces Nuwan Thushara despite the Sri Lankan pacer바카라™s impressive showing against Lucknow Super Giants in his only appearance this season. Hazlewood, with 18 wickets in 10 games, offers experience and holds a strong matchup advantage against Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer바카라”a tactical move RCB hopes will pay dividends.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Priyansh Arya on the thigh pads. Arya on the backfoot taps it to deep square leg and collects a double.

WICKET! A dream start for RCB as Yash Dayal strikes with just his second ball of the match, removing the dangerous Priyansh Arya for a single-digit score in this high-stakes Qualifier 1. Bowling a teasing inswinger on a good length outside off, Dayal lured Arya into a loose cover drive away from his body. The youngster couldn바카라™t keep it down and ended up handing a straightforward catch to Krunal Pandya at short cover. With Punjab Kings boasting the second-best powerplay scoring rate (10.02), RCB바카라™s disciplined bowling 바카라“ the best economy (8.79) and highest dot-ball percentage (43.5%) in the powerplay 바카라“ once again proves decisive.

RCB are on a roll! Josh Hazlewood delivers yet again as he dismisses Shreyas Iyer with a clever length ball 바카라” not short, not full 바카라” tempting Iyer into a mistimed pull that goes nowhere. Earlier, Prabhsimran Singh looked aggressive against Bhuvneshwar Kumar, charging down and lofting boundaries over mid-off and mid-on. But Bhuvi outsmarts him eventually, going shorter as Prabhsimran charges again and finds the outside edge. With sharp fielding backing up their bowlers, RCB have made all the right moves in this crucial clash.

Nehal Wadhera becomes the latest to fall in what바카라™s turning into a powerplay collapse for Punjab Kings. Trying to punch a short-of-length delivery from Yash Dayal, he바카라™s undone by a hint of seam movement that catches the inside edge and crashes into the stumps. PBKS are now 48 for 4 in six overs 바카라” the second time this IPL they've lost four wickets inside the powerplay, both at this venue. The last time, they were bowled out for 111 but miraculously defended it. Today, though, it바카라™s looking like a blowout. Josh Hazlewood has been relentless, extracting steep bounce off a hard length. Josh Inglis tried to break the shackles but only managed a top edge on a pull, taken comfortably at long leg. Hazlewood바카라™s figures? A dream start: 2-0-14-2. RCB are bossing this powerplay.

WICKET! Suyash Sharma is weaving magic in the Qualifier 1 as he knocks over Marcus Stoinis with a ripping googly! The set batter goes for a slog sweep, exposing his stumps, but misses completely as the ball spins back in and crashes into middle. It바카라™s Suyash바카라™s third wicket in his very first over바카라”an absolute dream spell! PBKS, now 78 for 8, are crumbling under pressure, and this collapse is turning into a full-blown disaster.

Punjab Kings' batting collapse continues as RCB tighten the screws in Qualifier 1. Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis both fell trying the slog sweep, while Musheer Khan was undone on the conventional sweep. Azmatullah Omarzai finally managed to connect cleanly, lofting a googly just over deep midwicket for a much-needed six. But the damage has been severe. As the players head into the strategic break, RCB are firmly in control. PBKS have defended low totals before 바카라” famously 111 at this very ground 바카라” but with no Jansen, Chahal, or Maxwell from that XI, and their impact sub already used, they look light on bowling resources for a rescue.

Romario Shepherd, the tallest pacer in RCB바카라™s ranks, made his presence felt with steep bounce and sharp seam. His vicious short ball thudded into Harpreet Brar바카라™s elbow, ricocheting onto the stumps 바카라” another body blow in a crumbling innings. Kyle Jamieson trudged in as the last man, but there was little he could do. Josh Hazlewood, relentless on the hard length, wrapped things up in style. Azmatullah Omarzai aimed for a slog but only managed a top edge, and Jitesh Sharma plucked a spectacular one-handed catch overhead. Punjab Kings were bundled out for 101 바카라” ten short of their earlier miracle defense at this very venue. To stay alive in IPL 2025, they'll now need to rewrite history with the lowest successful defence ever in the league.

RCB delivered 85 balls of ruthless, clinical brilliance to dismantle Punjab Kings for just 101 in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1. While the RCB bowlers바카라”led by Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, and Suyash Sharma바카라”executed their plans to perfection, PBKS self-destructed with a string of reckless shots and poor decision-making.

Priyansh Arya바카라™s tame dismissal set the tone, followed by hoicks from Prabhsimran and Shreyas Iyer that gifted catches to the keeper. Josh Inglis and Nehal Wadhera were undone by bounce and seam, while Marcus Stoinis and Musheer Khan fell attempting ungainly slogs. With their top and middle-order blown away, the tail hobbled past the 100-run mark. RCB, brimming with momentum, now need just 102 runs to seal their spot in the IPL 2025 final on June 3.

Punjab Kings바카라™ collapse in Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru has etched an unwanted record in IPL playoff history. Bowled out in just 14.1 overs 바카라” the shortest completed innings ever in the playoffs 바카라” PBKS broke the previous low of 16.1 overs set by Delhi Capitals in 2008. Their total of 101 now stands among the lowest ever in the playoffs, tied with Lucknow Super Giants바카라™ 101 against MI in the 2023 Eliminator. Only Deccan Chargers (82 vs RCB in 2010 and 87 vs RR in 2008) and their 104 vs CSK in the 2010 semifinal have fared worse. It's a sobering stat for a side that has battled hard this season, only to falter spectacularly when it mattered the most.

Virat Kohli got RCB off to a flying start with a majestic pull shot off the very first ball 바카라“ a steep bouncer from Arshdeep Singh. After 3 overs, RCB are 30 for no loss. There's a bit of seam movement on offer, but PBKS bowlers can't attack much as they don바카라™t have enough runs to play with. Kyle Jamieson extracted good bounce in his opening over, but both openers, Kohli and du Plessis, have been watchful.

Virat Kohli falls to a classic Test-match dismissal 바카라” just short of a length, angled in the channel, with extra bounce from Kyle Jamieson. Kohli, looking to guide it off the front foot, gets a healthy edge through to the keeper. A much-needed breakthrough for PBKS, but with just 102 to defend, it might be too little too late.

RCB ended the Powerplay in firm control of their modest chase in Qualifier 1, reaching 61/1 after six overs. Phil Salt weathered the early movement and responded with calculated aggression, smashing Azmatullah Omarzai for a 21-run over after a tight spell from Kyle Jamieson. Jamieson did provide a moment of joy for PBKS by dismissing Virat Kohli for 12 and followed it up with a testing over to Mayank Agarwal, who was eventually given out before a successful review saved him. Despite the ball swinging under lights, Salt's composed strokeplay kept RCB well ahead, with just 41 more runs needed for a spot in the final.

On a pitch that has only gotten tougher to bat on, with exaggerated seam movement and uneven bounce in the second innings, Phil Salt has made a mockery of the conditions. Timing the ball sweetly and picking gaps with precision, he raced to his fastest IPL fifty off just 23 balls. While others have struggled to even survive, Salt바카라™s counterattack has crushed whatever little hope Punjab Kings might have had. With the target in sight and RCB cruising, the win now is all but a formality.

Quickest wins in IPL Playoffs by balls remaining:

60 by RCB vs PBKS, Mullanpur, 2025 (Tonight)*

57 by KKR vs SRH, Chennai, 2024

38 by KKR vs SRH, Ahmedabad, 2024

33 by MI vs KKR, Bengaluru, 2017

31 by CSK vs PBKS, Wankhede, 2008

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru put on a performance for the ages in Qualifier 1, crushing Punjab Kings by eight wickets with a staggering 60 balls to spare바카라”the biggest win by balls remaining in IPL playoff history.

Chasing a meagre 102, RCB made a mockery of the target, with Phil Salt hammering his fastest IPL fifty off just 23 balls, reigniting memories of his dominant stint with KKR last season. Even though Kyle Jamieson threatened briefly with a fiery over바카라”dismissing Kohli and testing Agarwal바카라”RCB never looked in trouble. Salt remained unfazed, calmly steering the chase with authority and elegance.

But this victory was set up by a ruthless bowling performance. RCB바카라™s pace and spin battery worked in perfect sync after they won the toss and chose to bowl. Josh Hazlewood (3/21), making a comeback, set the tone early by removing key batters Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis. Suyash Sharma (3/17) then ran through the middle order, exploiting PBKS바카라™s reckless strokeplay. Yash Dayal (2/26), Romario Shepherd (1/5), and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/17) also chipped in to ensure Punjab never got going. Only Marcus Stoinis, Prabhsimran Singh and Azmatullah Omarzai reached double digits.

RCB's disciplined execution and Salt바카라™s fearless finishing have now powered them to their fourth IPL final, where they will aim to finally end their title drought. As for Punjab, their first playoff appearance in 11 years ended in heartbreak, undone by a combination of nerves, poor shot selection, and a clinical RCB unit.

Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings Captain): "Yes absolutely. It's not a game to forget but we need to go back to the drawing board and assess everything. We need to start reading the wicket. Lot of wickets we have lost in tandem. We have to study a lot of things once we go back.

I am not doubting on my decisions to be honest. We did whatever we could in terms of planning. We couldn't execute in the 1st innings in terms of scoring runs. I can't blame the bowlers here as it was such a low total to defend. We need to focus on our batting, especially on this wicket.

Well in all the games we have played here, there has been a little bit of variable bounce. But we can't say that as an excuse. We are professionals at the end of the day. You need to bat according to the situation and live up to it.

(Wishing him luck for the next game) Thank you so much. We have lost the battle but not the war."