Looking to make amends for their first two IPL 2025 home games, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) return to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. They have won all four of their away games and haven’t been at their best on home soil, losing both at home, although providing little cause for concern. However, RCB players have brushed those losses aside. On the eve of the match, speaking of the losses, Rajat Patidar called them mere coincidences. A third loss could become a worrying trend, but with Punjab Kings (PBKS) strong, completing the double whammy of wins in both overseas tournaments is proving difficult.
In RCB home defeats, the pattern is obvious: they lost both tosses, were put in to bat first, and scored modest totals of 169/8 and 163/7. With an advantage provided by the chasing teams, sluggish pitches and the onset of dew, they were not helped by the fact that dew and sluggish pitches worked against them. RCB’s previous strategy against Delhi Capitals showed the intent to attack the new ball, before the pitch begins to slow down and it was carried out by Phil Salt in their previous one.
RCB’s dismal runs are not limited to the batting department. Their pace attack hasn’t particularly been spine-tingling at home. Despite his fairly good complete set of figures (nine wickets at 8.65), Josh Hazlewood has taken only one wicket at Chinnaswamy with a horrendous economy rate of 12.1.
In its turn, PBKS come into the game after protecting the lowest total ever defended in IPL against Kolkata Knight Riders. Returning to his former home ground, Chahal will be especially motivated and was named Player of the Match for his four wickets.
RCB and PBKS are third in the points table, while both teams are on top of their games. A win tonight propels the winner to ten, and with both Delhi Capitals and RCB at ten points, it’s set to be another nail-biter when RCB and PBKS meet once again in New Chandigarh.
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