April 18, 2025: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their seventh match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 today, April 18, at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Both teams have played six matches so far, securing four wins each, and are currently placed fourth and fifth in the IPL 2025 points table. This match promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams look to continue their winning run.
Weather Update: There is a high likelihood of rain disrupting the match. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru is expected to experience rainfall until Sunday, April 20. The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) has forecasted light to moderate rainfall in the city, along with gusty winds in the North and South Interior Karnataka regions. The weather could potentially affect the match, making conditions challenging for the players.
Head-to-Head: RCB and PBKS have faced off 33 times in IPL history, with Punjab Kings holding a slight edge, having won 17 of those encounters. Royal Challengers Bangalore has managed to win 16 matches against PBKS. With the historical stats favoring PBKS, RCB will be eager to close the gap.
Squads:
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB):
- Philip Salt
- Virat Kohli
- Rajat Patidar (c)
- Liam Livingstone
- Jitesh Sharma (w)
- Tim David
- Krunal Pandya
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Josh Hazlewood
- Suyash Sharma
- Yash Dayal
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Rasikh Dar Salam
- Manoj Bhandage
- Jacob Bethell
- Swapnil Singh
- Abhinandan Singh
- Swastik Chikara
- Mohit Rathee
- Nuwan Thushara
- Romario Shepherd
- Lungi Ngidi
Punjab Kings (PBKS):
- Priyansh Arya
- Prabhsimran Singh (w)
- Shreyas Iyer (c)
- Nehal Wadhera
- Josh Inglis
- Shashank Singh
- Glenn Maxwell
- Marco Jansen
- Xavier Bartlett
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yuzvendra Chahal
- Vijaykumar Vyshak
- Suryansh Shedge
- Yash Thakur
- Harpreet Brar
- Praveen Dubey
- Pyla Avinash
- Musheer Khan
- Harnoor Singh
- Kuldeep Sen
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Aaron Hardie
- Vishnu Vinod
- Marcus Stoinis
Prediction: With both teams evenly matched, the result will largely depend on how the key players perform today. RCB’s strong batting lineup, led by Virat Kohli, and PBKS’s all-rounders, including Glenn Maxwell, will be crucial in determining the outcome. However, if rain intervenes, the match may be reduced or delayed, which could lead to a tight and unpredictable finish.