IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 Preview: Head-to-Head, Pitch Report, Probable XIs, Fantasy Picks And Prediction. The IPL 2025 playoffs begin with an epic Qualifier 1, which shall be played on Thursday, 29 May, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium at Mullanpur, with Punjab Kings against RCB. Both teams had 21 points from 14 matches, with PBKS finishing atop due to a better net run rate.
PBKS have been consistent under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy all through the season. In their attempts to get on a roll of good form, Prabhsimran Singh made 437 runs, while Arshdeep Singh has been leading the bowling attack with 18 wickets, aiming to ride momentum straight into the final.
RCB, under the able captaincy of Rajat Patidar, bounces into the playoffs with strong confidence after posting a record chase against Lucknow Super Giants in their last league match. The bowling lineup has received a fresh boost with the return of fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, who has 18 wickets to his name this season. This match will prove to be a cracker, with both sides fighting for a berth in the IPL 2025 final.
Also Read: IPL 2025 Playoffs Confirmed: PBKS vs RCB In Qualifier 1, GT vs MI In Eliminator
Match Details
Date: 29th May, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM
Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur.
Streaming on Star Sports Network and JioHotstar.
Head-to-Head Record
Total Matches Played: 35
Punjab Kings Wins: 18
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Wins: 17
Last Match Played: PBKS won by 5 wickets earlier this season.
Pitch Report—Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium
The Mullanpur track has been favoring high-scoring matches, with the average first-innings score being 170. The top score at this venue belongs to Punjab Kings, who posted 219 runs for the loss of 6 wickets against Chennai Super Kings earlier this season.
Weather in Mullanpur: On match day, Mullanpur favors fair weather with only a 1% possibility of rainfall, accompanied by 50% cloud coverage.
IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 Probable Playing XIs
Punjab Kings (PBKS): Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer (C), Josh Inglis (WK), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, and Yuzi Chahal.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Liam Livingstone, Krunal Pandya, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Top Fantasy Picks
Wicketkeepers: Jitesh Sharma, Josh Inglis
Batsmen: Rajat Patidar, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli
All-rounders: Krunal Pandya, Marco Jansen
Bowlers: Yash Dayal, Josh Hazelwood, Arshdeep Singh
Also Read: IPL 2025 Playoffs: Ricky Ponting To Mahela Jayawardene — Role Of Coaches And Mentors
IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 Match Prediction
With both teams contending for a direct spot in the final, this contest goes well beyond mere formality. A win for either side will cement their position. The losing side gets a shot in Qualifier 2. A nail-biter should be expected as both sides look to seize an edge going into the final.
Prediction: RCB is expected to win this match.
Broadcast & Streaming Details
TV Broadcast: Star Sports Network
Live Streaming: JioHotstar app and website
