NEW DELHI: The stage is set for a high-stakes showdown as Punjab Kings (PBKS) take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the first playoff match at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.Both teams have scripted a remarkable journey to reach this point.PBKS sealed their spot in Qualifier 1 with a convincing 7-wicket win over Mumbai Indians, while RCB earned their place by defeating Lucknow Super Giants by 6 wickets. With a place in the IPL 2025 final on the line, both teams will be eager to seize the moment.Weather Update:As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Mullanpur is expected to see partly cloudy skies with the possibility of one or two brief spells of rain or thundershowers in some areas. Daytime temperatures may soar to 46°C before dropping to around 28°C in the evening. Locals are advised to stay alert due to the potential for sudden weather shifts caused by localized showers.
What if rain interrupts play?There is no ‘reserve day’ scheduled for this fixture.In the event of rain, the match duration will be shortened based on the cut-off time set by tournament regulations.A minimum of five overs per side must be played. If that’s not feasible, the team ranked higher on the points table will progress to the final.If the Qualifier 1 between PBKS and RCB is abandoned due to rain, Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab side will move directly into the final, while RCB will get another chance in Qualifier 2.This marks PBKS’ first playoff appearance since 2014 — a season where they topped the table but fell short in the final against Kolkata Knight Riders.
RCB, on the other hand, last finished in the top two in 2016, only to lose the final to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Since then, both sides have faced challenges with consistency in the playoffs, but IPL 2025 signals a turnaround in their fortunes.Squads:Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Musheer Khan, Xavier Bartlett, Praveen Dubey, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vishnu Vinod, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Pyla AvinashRoyal Challengers Bengaluru: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (c & wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara, Suyash Sharma, Rajat Patidar, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Tim Seifert, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Blessing Muzarabani.
Get IPL 2025 match schedules, squads, points table, and live scores for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
