RCB Opt to Field First in High-Stakes IPL 2025 Qualifier Against PBKS

The playoffs phase of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season has commenced. Following a fiercely competitive league stage, the crucial Qualifier 1 match is now underway. The high-stakes encounter is being held at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh. In this match, Punjab Kings (PBKS) are facing off against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss and opted to field first. As a result, Punjab Kings will bat first.

Both teams have entered the contest with strong line-ups. The winning team from this match will advance directly to the final, while the losing team will have another opportunity to reach the final through Qualifier 2. Fans are intensely anticipating this clash.

Playing XIs

Punjab Kings: Priyamsh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (captain), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Kyle Jamieson.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Rajat Patidar (captain), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma.

Based on the form displayed by both teams throughout this season, this match is expected to be an evenly matched contest. In particular, a thrilling battle is anticipated between Punjab’s batting line-up and Bangalore’s bowling unit.