The Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will engage in the 18th fixture of the 2025 IPL at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Saturday, April 5

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) will play the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 18th game of the 2025 IPL. This game will be held at the Maharaja Yadavindra International Stadium in Mullanpur.

The Punjab Kings, who are currently sitting at the top of the table with two wins, will take the field in their first home game in Mullanpur on Saturday. With two dominating wins under their belt, they will be eager to demonstrate their mettle in front of their home audience.

RR, on the other hand, arrive in Mullanpur with confidence after their previous home game against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The Royals, who are at ninth position in the points table, are badly in need of a turnaround. Fit again after a finger injury, regular skipper Sanju Samson will replace Riyan Parag as captain.

Match Preview

Punjab Kings

Priyansh Arya starts the innings with Prabhasimran Singh. Arya made 47 runs off 23 balls against the Gujarat Titans, while Singh made a half-century (69 off 34) in the second match. PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer is the player to look out for. Iyer made two unbeaten half-centuries (97* & 52*) in the first two matches, scoring 13 sixes. Nehal Wadhera ranks fourth after his 43* runs off 25 balls in the last match.

Shashank Singh makes up the middle with all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis. Singh made 44 runs from 16 balls in the second game. Maxwell has not yet made a run with the bat for Punjab, but has picked up two wickets with the ball. Stoinis has made 20 runs with the bat. He has been highly successful with the ball.

Arshdeep Singh will spearhead the bowling attack with Lockie Ferguson and Marco Jenson. Singh is the bowler to see. He has picked five wickets in the two games. His economy is barely 10. Jansen has two wickets, and Ferguson has one in one game. The PBKS bowlers have not tested their strength yet. Chahal will be the top spinner in the bowling attack.

Rajasthan Royals

A narrow win against CSK in their previous match would have lifted the spirits of Rajasthan Royals. The team had struggled so far and was considered one of the weakest teams in IPL 2025. It took a brilliant innings from Nitish Rana to secure a win.

Rana was also well supported in the middle order by Riyan Parag. Concerns about the lack of runs from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson are likely to increase. Both players are regulars in the Indian T20 series, and the majority of the runs must come from them.

If they cannot turn their form around quickly, IPL 2025 will be disastrous for the Royals. Dhruv Jurel and Wanindu Hasaranga have been unconvincing in the middle order so far. This lack of depth isn't a problem for most teams, but RR seems to have miscalculated.

Jofra Archer bounced back with a brilliant bowling performance against CSK. Wanindu Hasaranga also took four wickets, while Meheesh Theekshana controlled the score. At their best, RR's bowling attack will pose some tough challenges, but a single good performance alone isn't enough to convince us.

We saw that RR were very expensive and ineffective with the ball in their first two matches. They could struggle again on a good pitch.

Pitch Report

The Mullanpur Stadium, which is now the home ground for Punjab, is anticipated to provide a very flat batting surface. The outfield isn’t particularly expansive, but it’s known for being quite fast, allowing players to really capitalize on their shots. We’re expecting a total score of over 200 to be achievable, though even that might not guarantee a win.

Toss Prediction

Last season, five matches took place here, and interestingly, the team chasing the target came out on top three times. The team that wins the coin toss will likely choose to bowl first.

Weather Report

With only a 5% chance of interruptions, we think the weather will have a minimal impact on the match. Temperatures are expected to reach highs of 35°C and drop to around 19°C during the game.

Head to Head

There have been 28 encounters between the Punjab Kings and the Rajasthan Royals, with the Punjab Kings taking home 12 victories while the Rajasthan Royals have claimed 16 wins.

Venue Details

Get ready for the match, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh. This impressive stadium can hold up to 38,000 fans!

Match Prediction

This season, the Punjab Kings seem to be brimming with confidence, especially when compared to the Rajasthan Royals. While bowling has traditionally been the Royals' strong suit, they've struggled with consistency this time around. Shreyas Iyer is on fire, boasting a strike rate of 206.94, and the Punjab Kings' top order has an impressive combined strike rate of 190.

We're leaning towards a win for the Punjab Kings against the Rajasthan Royals!

Betting Tips

So far, PBKS has really caught our attention. They boast a solid batting lineup and a formidable bowling attack, featuring several top-notch all-rounders. While RR can be a threat, we believe PBKS will be tough to beat. When it comes to their head-to-head record, PBKS has a win percentage of 56% against RR.

Bet on PBKS.

Probable Playing XI

Punjab Kings Playing XI

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (w), Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh.

Rajasthan Royals Playing XI

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel (w), Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande.

Top Fantasy Picks Dream11 Prediction

Punjab Kings Key Players

Shreyas Iyer has been in top shape this season, having scored 97 runs in the first match and 52 runs in the last one.

Glenn Maxwell is a hard-hitting batsman and can also contribute some overs with spin. His all-round talent makes him a suitable option for this match.

Arshdeep Singh was PBKS's best wicket-keeper last season and has again put up a superlative show: With five wickets from two games, he is his team's highest wicket-keeper and thus our first choice for the match to come.

Rajasthan Royals Key Players

Riyan Parag did not have a great start to the season, but we are supporting him once again, as he was his side's top run-scorer in the previous season with 573 runs and is our first choice for the next match.

Maheesh Theekshana has been the lone shining light in a poor season till now. Theekshana has been among the most consistent bowlers for RR till now, and our choice for the match ahead.

Sanju Samson will be opening for batting and played a half-century in the first game. Bet on him to repeat his performance.