IPL 2025 RCB vs PBKS: Team Predictions, Head-to-Head Stats, Pitch Report from M. Chinnaswamy, and Bengaluru Weather Update

IPL 2025 RCB vs PBKS : Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have made an impressive start to IPL 2025, winning all four of their away fixtures. However, their performances at home tell a different story — with two back-to-back losses at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Despite the home setbacks, RCB aren’t pressing the panic button just yet, as their away dominance keeps them comfortably in the playoff race. The team is now focused on addressing issues like adapting to slower pitches and managing dew conditions at home.

Tonight (April 18), RCB go up against one of the most explosive powerplay sides in the league, hoping to avoid turning a two-match losing streak—what Rajat Patidar called “the start of a trend”—into a three-game slide.

RCB’s Home Defeats: A Clear Pattern Emerges with Toss and Batting First Challenges

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has faced a consistent issue in their home defeats, with a clear pattern emerging around the toss and their decision to bat first. On two occasions, RCB lost the toss, were asked to bat, and struggled on sluggish Bengaluru pitches, posting scores of 169/8 and 163/7. These pitches, which favored the chasing teams, became increasingly challenging for RCB, especially with the dew playing a crucial role in the second innings.

In their most recent home game against Delhi Capitals, Phil Salt’s explosive start was a tactical response to these conditions. His quick-fire 50 runs in just three overs helped RCB get off to a strong start, capitalizing on the new ball before the pitch became more challenging due to the dew, setting the stage for a more competitive total.

READ MORE : IPL Today Match: RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025: Weather & Pitch Report

RCB will need to adapt their strategy moving forward, especially when batting first in Bangalore, to overcome these home-ground hurdles.

RCB’s Struggles with Pace Attack and Batting, While PBKS Shows Explosive Top Order

In addition to the batting struggles at Chinnaswamy, RCB’s pace attack has also faced significant challenges. Josh Hazlewood, despite having decent overall statistics with nine wickets and an economy rate of 8.65, has struggled in Bangalore. At home, his figures have been disappointing, managing only one wicket with an economy of 12.1 — a stark contrast to his usual consistency.

On the other hand, Punjab Kings (PBKS) possess immense power at the top of their batting order. Priyansh Arya (216) and Shreyas Iyer (205) have been in exceptional form this season, boasting the highest and third-highest strike rates among players who have faced at least 50 balls. Their aggressive batting at the top has made them a dangerous side, especially when facing a vulnerable RCB pace attack.

RCB will need to find ways to tackle PBKS’s explosive top order, while improving their own batting and bowling strategies at home to bounce back in the competition.

PBKS Arrive in Bengaluru on a High, Chahal’s Heroics & Key Matchup Against RCB

Punjab Kings (PBKS) arrive in Bengaluru on a high, having recently achieved a historic feat by securing the lowest successful defense in IPL history against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Yuzvendra Chahal, the Player of the Match in that thrilling encounter, produced a standout performance with a four-wicket haul. As a former RCB player, Chahal is also the all-time leading wicket-taker at Chinnaswamy, making him a key threat in this matchup.

Currently, both RCB and PBKS are positioned in the top half of the table, with RCB sitting at third and PBKS at fourth. The winner of this encounter will advance to ten points, tying them with Delhi Capitals at the top of the standings. This victory will hold significant weight as both teams are set to meet again on Sunday afternoon in New Chandigarh.

ALSO READ : IPL 2025 POINT TABLE

Pitch Report for RCB vs PBKS

The pitch at Chinnaswamy remains a key factor in the game. Historically, it has been known for offering high-scoring opportunities, but dew often plays a crucial role in the second innings, making it more favorable for the chasing teams. Teams will need to adapt to these conditions and strategize accordingly.

The battle is set to be exciting, with PBKS’s in-form attack and RCB’s need for a strong home performance creating the perfect IPL showdown.

RCB vs PBKS: Team Prediction for IPL 2025 Match

Chinnaswamy Stadium has undergone some changes, and it no longer holds the reputation of being a batter’s paradise or a graveyard for bowlers. The pitches this season have been two-paced, making it challenging for batsmen, as RCB has failed to score more than 170 runs while batting first in both their games so far.

RCB Predicted XI:

1. Phil Salt
2. Virat Kohli
3. Devdutt Padikkal
4. Rajat Patidar (c)
5. Liam Livingstone
6. Jitesh Sharma (wk)
7. Tim David
8. Krunal Pandya
9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
10. Josh Hazlewood
11. Yash Dayal
12. Suyash Sharma

PBKS Predicted XI:

1. Priyansh Arya
2. Prabhsimran Singh
3. Shreyas Iyer (c)
4. Nehal Wadhera
5. Josh Inglis (wk) / Marcus Stoinis
6. Glenn Maxwell
7. Hashank Singh
8. Marco Jansen
9. Xavier Bartlett
10. Yuzvendra Chahal
11. Arshdeep Singh
12. Vijaykumar Vyshak / Yash Thakur

Key Highlights for the Match:

• RCB will need to adapt to the two-paced pitch and ensure a competitive total while batting first.
• PBKS has a solid all-round squad with key players like Shreyas Iyer and Glenn Maxwell to back them up.
• Yuzvendra Chahal‘s bowling in Chinnaswamy could be a major factor, considering his record at the venue.

RCB Squad

• Philip Salt

• Virat Kohli

• Devdutt Padikkal

• Rajat Patidar (c)

• Liam Livingstone

• Jitesh Sharma (w)

• Krunal Pandya

• Tim David

• Bhuvneshwar Kumar

• Josh Hazlewood

• Yash Dayal

• Rasikh Dar Salam

• Suyash Sharma

• Manoj Bhandage

• Jacob Bethell

• Swapnil Singh

• Abhinandan Singh

• Romario Shepherd

• Lungi Ngidi

• Nuwan Thushara

• Mohit Rathee

• Swastik Chikara

PBKS Squad

• Priyansh Arya

• Prabhsimran Singh (w)

• Shreyas Iyer (c)

• Marcus Stoinis

• Nehal Wadhera

• Glenn Maxwell

• Shashank Singh

• Marco Jansen

• Arshdeep Singh

• Lockie Ferguson

• Yuzvendra Chahal

• Yash Thakur

• Suryansh Shedge

• Praveen Dubey

• Azmatullah Omarzai

• Vijaykumar Vyshak

• Josh Inglis

• Xavier Bartlett

• Vishnu Vinod

• Aaron Hardie

• Kuldeep Sen

• Harpreet Brar

• Harnoor Singh

• Musheer Khan

• Pyla Avinash

Exciting clash ahead – Who do you think will come out on top tonight? Will RCB end their home losing streak, or will PBKS continue their strong run?

RCB vs PBKS Head-to-Head

• Total Meetings: 33
• RCB Wins: 16
• PBKS Wins: 17
• Recent Form: RCB has won the last three encounters, including two in the previous season.

RCB vs PBKS IPL 2025: Bengaluru Weather Prediction

The pitch curator at Chinnaswamy attributes the slowness of the surface to high heat and low humidity in Bengaluru. However, recent rain and cooler evenings might bring some change in conditions, potentially making the surface more favorable for both batters and bowlers. The weather conditions will be a key factor to watch as the game progresses.