PBKS vs RR Live Score, IPL 2025: Table toppers Punjab Kings look to maintain dominance against Rajasthan Royals
PBKS, led by an in-form Shreyas Iyer, have made a strong start to the season with two wins from two matches. Iyer has been at the forefront of their success, hammering consecutive half-centuries and scoring 149 runs at a strike rate of over 200. His tally of 13 sixes is currently second only to Lucknow Super Giants’ Nicholas Pooran (15) in the tournament.
Punjab’s batting unit looks formidable with the likes of Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, and the promising Priyansh Arya offering depth and explosiveness throughout the order.
In the bowling department, left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh leads the charge, but it’s Vijaykumar Vyshak who has grabbed the spotlight. The 28-year-old made a statement in the season opener against Gujarat Titans, delivering a game-changing performance as an impact substitute.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals have had a rocky start, winning just one of their first three matches. However, they will be boosted by the return of regular captain and wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, who has recovered from a finger injury and received clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
Until now, Samson featured only as a batter, with Riyan Parag standing in as captain. Despite his absence from behind the stumps, Samson contributed with a solid 66 in the opening match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, followed by modest scores of 13 and 20.
With Samson returning to full duty, RR will hope to stabilize their campaign. Much will also depend on the likes of Dhruv Jurel and Shimron Hetmyer in the middle order, while opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s form remains a concern. The southpaw has struggled, posting scores of 1, 29, and 4 in his first three outings.
Rajasthan’s bowling attack boasts quality in the form of Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Tushar Deshpande, but they’ll need to bring their best to contain PBKS’s powerful batting lineup.
Historically, Rajasthan Royals have the upper hand in this matchup, winning 16 of the 28 meetings, while Punjab have claimed victory 12 times.
Squads:
Punjab Kings: Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Singh, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Praveen Dubey, Priyansh Arya, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett, Kuldeep Sen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sanju Samson (captain), Dhruv Jurel, Kunal Singh Rathore, Riyan Parag, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Nitish Rana, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Kwena Maphaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Ashok Sharma, Jofra Archer
