Punjab Kings’ quest to reach their first IPL final   

Betting Odds

Our Predictions 

• Yuzvendra Chahal has odds of 2.87 to be Punjab Kings' best bowler 
• Josh Hazlewood has odds of 2.75 to be RCB’s best bowler 
• Punjab Kings have odds of 1.80 to be the best bowler’s team 
• Royal Challengers Bengaluru have odds of 1.80 to be the best bowler’s team 

MATCH PREVIEW     

It is the business stage in the Indian Premier League 2025. The Punjab Kings will face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 1st Qualifier. The Punjab Kings defeated the Mumbai Indians in their last league game, and their batsmen look like they are in good form. While they will start with the same odds in the game as their opponent, the side has lost the last four out of five games against the Royal Challengers. RCB defeated the Lucknow Super Giants in the last game, and their batsmen did well. There is little to choose between the two teams in this game, and we expect a thrilling contest where the bowlers in both camps will face a tough time on a flat track.  

Punjab Kings Preview     

The Punjab Kings have been the team to write about this season. The team had become the perennial losers over the last decade but have punched above their weight to finish on the top of the points table. They defeated the Mumbai Indians in their last league game by 7 wickets. They have improved their position on cricket betting sites but have a poor record against RCB. Iyer would like a strong show from his players to qualify for the final.  

Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh have made more than 900 runs, and the team expects a strong start from this pair. Josh Inglis will be confident after his great knock in the last game and shall look to add runs in the middle order with Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera. Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, and Azmatullah Omarzai add to the team’s batting firepower, but they will miss Marco Jansen's services.  

Arshdeep Singh has bowled well this season, and he must pick wickets early in the game with Kyle Jamieson, as RCB has firepower at the top. Azmatullah Omarzai has a big responsibility while replacing Marco Jansen in the game. He must do well in the middle overs with Harpreet Brar. Yuzvendra Chahal and Kyle Jamieson must do well in the supporting role for the team to win.  

Expected Starting XI for Punjab Kings     

Shreyas Iyer (c), Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (wk), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh (Impact Player)  

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Preview     

Rajat Patidar and his men finished the league stage with a bang. In a high-scoring game against the Lucknow Super Giants, the team won by 6 wickets. The batting lineup has done well throughout the season and has improved the team’s standing on cricket betting apps. Patidar will expect a better show from the bowling attack as they haven’t shown consistency in this department and are up against a strong batting lineup.  

Virat Kohli has made 602 runs this season and has been the backbone of this batting lineup. He will look to deliver a good start with Philip Salt. The team needs a strong show in the middle order from Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, and Mayank Agarwal. Jitesh Sharma played an electrifying knock in the last game, and he will look to do the big-hitting in the lower middle order with Krunal Pandya and Romario Shepherd.  

The bowling attack must get its acts together after a poor show in the last game. The team needs Josh Hazlewood and Krunal Pandya to get early breakthroughs in this game. Yash Dayal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar must avoid leaking runs like in the last game. The team expects a good show in the supporting role from Romario Shepherd and Suyash Sharma, as they need to contain an explosive batting lineup.  

Expected Starting XI for Royal Challengers Bengaluru     

Rajat Patidar (c), Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma (Impact Player)  

TOSS: To Bat First      

In three out of four games at this venue this season, the team batting first has successfully defended the total. We have seen challenging batting surfaces in the second innings, where the wicket slows, making it difficult to chase scores. The team winning the toss won't hesitate to bat first in this game.   

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS      

It will be a hot evening in Chandigarh. We have seen slow wickets at this venue this season, making it difficult for the batsmen. Spinners will enjoy bowling on this track as the ball stops occasionally on the batsmen. A score of 180 runs will be good on this track.   

OUR PREDICTION      

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru came into this game with a massive win, but the team struggled with the ball, and the attack struggled against hard-hitting batting lineups. The team needs a strong show from the bowlers to win this game. The Punjab Kings have a strong batting lineup and play at home. The players know the conditions well, giving the side a small edge.   

Our prediction is for Punjab Kings to win