Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings, two sides chasing their first IPL title, will square off in a tantalising Qualifier 1 encounter on Thursday, May 29, 2025.
RCB and Punjab, who have finished in the top two only twice in IPL history, will be keen to secure a direct ticket to the final.
RCB have made it to the final in three editions -- 2009, 2011 and 2016 -- while Punjab's only final appearance came in 2014.
In fact, there is nothing to separate the two teams; both have their strengths and weaknesses.
They completed the league engagements with the same number of points -- 19 -- although Punjab finished at the top of the points table by virtue of a slightly superior Net Run Rate.
Incidentally, Punjab reached the final when they topped the league stage in 2014, where they lost narrowly to the Kolkata Knight Riders.
However, they struggled to build on this success in the following years, mainly because of a boom-or-bust batting approach and constant chopping and changing.
Cut to the present, they are one of the most balanced and settled sides.
Apart from contributing heavily with the bat, Shreyas Iyer has provided them with a calming influence and demonstrated tactical brilliance during tense moments.
The first skipper in IPL history to lead three different franchises to Qualifier 1, the stylish right-hander will be looking to play his third IPL final, having guided Delhi Capitals and KKR to the summit clash in 2020 and 2024 respectively. His captaincy win percentage of 58.53 percent is second-best among IPL skippers.
The astute guidance from Coach Ricky Ponting has also been key to their success this season.
On the batting front, Punjab have power hitters as well as technically sound batters in their ranks that offers depth and flexibility.
They have a perfect blend of experience and youthful exuberance, with young guns Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh constantly setting the tone with dominant performances.
In Josh Inglis, who blasted a 42-ball 73 in their previous game against Mumbai Indians, Punjab have a reliable No. 3 batter.
Shashank Singh and Nehal Wadhera have showed how destructive they can be. Remarkably, uncapped players have contributed 60 percent of the side's total runs this season.
One major concern for Punjab will be the absence of bowling all-rounder Marco Jansen, who left for the World Test Championship final. To fill the gap, they have brought in New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson, more or less a like-for-like replacement.
Pace spearhead Arshdeep Singh has been highly effective in the Powerplay, especially when conditions were favourable for him.
Seasoned leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who missed the final two league games due to a wrist injury, is expected to return for the playoffs to fortify their spin attack. RCB will wary of him as he was a key part of them for eight seasons apart from being their all-time leading wicket-taker with 139 wickets in 113 matches.
On the other hand, RCB have played four finals so far, but are yet to lay their hands on the coveted trophy.
They have qualified for the playoffs 10 times and made it to the final thrice, a record that testifies to their consistency in the 18-year-old league. Moreover, in four of the last five seasons, they have reached the playoffs before faltering thrice in the Eliminator and once in the Qualifier 2.
Ahead of IPL 2025, the team underwent a massive overhaul as they retained only three players -- Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal from last year's squad.
Despite bringing together a compact squad, RCB's success this season has often hinged on the performances of their key individuals.
The top three batters -- Kohli, Phil Salt and Patidar -- are all solid and explosive and have the ability to take the game away from opponents.
Kohli, with 602 runs from 13 matches, is currently fifth in the race to the Orange Cap.
RCB's middle and lower-middle order, featuring Liam Livingstone, Mayank Agarwal, Jitesh Sharma, Romario Shepherd and Krunal Pandya, can be equally dangerous.
RCB have a history of choking at crucial moments, but Jitesh's spectacular 33-ball 85 in their must-win final league fixture against the Lucknow Super Giants showed that they mean business this year and are determined to end their title drought.
One obvious chink in RCB's armour is the lack of depth in the spin department. They are overly dependent on bowling all-rounder Krunal, and it is to be seen how he fares against a Punjab side filled with proven spin bashers. The other spin option for them is the inexperienced Suyash Sharma.
Although Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood is reportedly available for selection, RCB do not have another pacer who can stem the run flow in the slog overs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been expensive in that phase while Yash Dayal can be inconsistent and unpredictable.
As both teams will be keen to take the straight route to the final, the Qualifier 1 showdown may go down the wire.
The head-to-head record slightly favours RCB, who have won 18 of their 35 encounters.
Probable Playing XIs:
RCB: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (Captain and wicket-keeper), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood.
Impact Sub: Suyash Sharma
PBKS: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis (Wicket-keeper), Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh.
Impact Subs: Vyshak Vijaykumar/Yuzvendra Chahal
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