🏏IPL 2025, M 37 RCB vs PK,@ Mullanpur 20th Apr.3:30pm IST🏏 - Page 2

Yaar inka har dusre din match hota hai kya😭

Thank you for the tag

Thanks Soni for the tag and informative thread

Looking forward to the match..

Thank you, Soni, for the thread and for tagging me.

Best wishes to both the teams.

Here we go again in less than 48 hours!

IZZAT SE HARNA

❤️💙

Less than 40 hours after the conclusion of their rain-shortened match in Bangalore, it's a rapid rematch between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, this time at the Mullanpur stadium in New Chandigarh. The last match saw RCB fold meekly before a gem from the bat of Tim David allowed them to make a contest out of a match on a pretty spicy wicket at the Chinnaswamy, and with this contest being billed as a revenge match for them, will they be able to produce this time around?

PBKS have the momentum and the confidence thanks to their victory two nights ago, but things change quickly in the Indian Premier League. There's always an added pressure that comes with crunch matches, and given they have the opportunity to head to the top of the table with a victory at home, this is certainly a crunch match. An outfit that is trying to redefine itself under new leadership, a couple of wins against a very strong RCB team to go top of the table would be a real statement regarding their ambitions. It will push them clearer of the chasing back, and with a captain in Shreyas Iyer who knows all about dragging teams from the doldrums to positions of success, you have to believe they would be best-placed to qualify.

Originally posted by: SoniRita

Preview:

For the second time in three days, Punjab Kings will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru with the hope of completing a double over their opponents. The match in Bengaluru, a rain-marred fixture, was won by the Kings who took advantage of a sticky surface to prevail in a 14-over clash. Given the conditions in New Chandigarh, this could be another surface where the batters may have to use their smarts rather than the long handle.

Punjab Kings have ticked most boxes this season, and with five wins in seven games, they seem well on track to get into the playoffs at this point. What works in their favour is their high-flying intent at the start along with immense batting depth, coupled with an efficient bowling unit which makes them a side with most bases covered. In the initial games, their premier spinner Yuzvendra Chahal had a quiet time but the seasoned leggie has roared back in style over the last two games, including the historic defence of 111 here in New Chandigarh against KKR.

As head coach Ricky Ponting mentioned after that win against the defending champions, PBKS are a side brimming with confidence. However, they do face a RCB side that is yet to taste defeat on the road this season. Rajat Patidar's men may have been unable to crack the code at home so far, losing all three games in Bengaluru, but they have managed to ensure a 100 percent record in away games. This includes iconic wins in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Unlike previous years, this RCB outfit does have a better balance to it across all facets.

For starters, Phil Salt has been a priceless addition to the squad and the Englishman's trademark blitz at the top has been instrumental to RCB's wins so far. Captain Patidar, senior man Virat Kohli and Tim David have all looked in good touch with the odd cameos from Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma. That said, this is a batting unit which will need to be smarter on tricky surfaces, given that most of the batters are flamboyant strokemakers. The bowling also lacks a potent spinner, although Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma have punched above their weight.

Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar with the new ball are arguably the best opening duo with the ball this season. Their exploits will be critical once again if they are to rein in PBKS' ultra-aggressive batting unit. Given that both sides have free-flowing batters in the ranks, this battle could well be decided by which bowling unit steps up to the plate. Punjab Kings have a slight edge of form and momentum from the earlier fixture but Royal Challengers Bengaluru have shown already that they are a tough nut to crack away from home.

Thanks for the tag Soni

Chance for PBKS to go top with a win

A massive opportunity presents itself for Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer's new-look Punjab Kings, who have figured out an identity thanks to their exciting domestic core and strung together massive wins over the course of this first half of the season.

PBKS have a slight edge over RCB in their head-to-head record in the IPL.

Overall

Total matches played: 34

RCB won: 16

PBKS won: 18

PBKS vs RCB weather forecast

There is a slight possibility of rain, around 10 percent, in Chandigarh at the start time of the PBKS vs RCB match. While a complete washout appears unlikely, a brief delay in the game due to weather interruptions cannot be ruled out. The temperature during the match is expected to remain in the mid-30s, creating warm playing conditions for both teams.

What happened the last time these two sides met in IPL 2024?

The last meeting between RCB and PBKS took place in Dharamshala in match number 58 of IPL 2024. RCB came out as the winners, winning the tie by 60 runs on May 9, 2024.

VENUE – NEW PCA STADIUM, MULLANPUR (IN T20s SINCE 2023)

• Matches - 15, Bat 1st Won – 10, Bat 2nd Won – 5

• Avg 1st Inns score – 173/6 (Run Rate – 8.65)

• Lowest Total Defended – 161, Highest Target Chased – 175

• 200+ Totals (excl. shortened matches): 2 times in 14 matches | Sixes Per Match - 14

• Pace: Overs% - 62, Wkts – 142, Avg – 21.4, Eco – 8.7

Spin: Overs% - 38, Wkts – 51, Avg – 33, Eco – 7.9

• Winning Score at New PCA Stadium, Mullanpur (in T20s since 2023)

◦ 1st Inns score 170 or above: Mts – 10, Bat 1st Won – 9, Bat 2nd Won – 1

◦ 1st Inns score less than 170*: Mts – 4, Bat 1st Won – 0, Bat 2nd Won – 4

* Excluding Shortened Matches

Thanks for the thread🥰 ready for another dramatic match 🤣 iss pure hafte yehi hua.