RCB vs PBKS Toss Updates & Playing 11: IPL 2025 Match 34; Shreyas Iyer Opts to Bowl

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will host Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 34th match of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 18.

Both teams are riding high with four wins from six games, sitting third and fourth on the points table, separated only by RCB’s superior Net Run Rate. A victory tonight will propel either side to 10 points, level with table-toppers Delhi Capitals (DC).

RCB’s campaign has been a tale of two turfs: unstoppable away with victories in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, and Jaipur, but winless at home, falling versus Gujarat Titans (GT) and Delhi Capitals. Their recent nine-wicket demolition of Rajasthan Royals (RR), led by Phil Salt’s blistering 65 runs and Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 62 runs, showcased their batting might.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, now armed with the reinstated saliva option to unlock reverse swing, will team up with Josh Hazlewood to challenge PBKS’s aggressive batting order. 

PBKS, led by Shreyas Iyer, arrive on the back of a stunning 16-run defense of 111 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the lowest total ever defended in IPL history in a full match. Yuzvendra Chahal. Yuzvendra Chahal with his 4 wickets for 28 runs, was the catalyst behind his side’s unbelievable feat.

RCB, desperate to snap their home losing streak in IPL 2025, will be up against PBKS, a side riding high after a historic low-score defense, setting the stage for a thrilling battle.

RCB vs PBKS Match Details 

RCB vs PBKS Pitch Report M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru 

The pitch at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru typically favors batters but has surprised all in IPL 2025. Across the two matches hosted this season, teams batting first have struggled to surpass 170 runs. The surface has provided early swing for pacers, with spinners extracting turn and bite in the middle overs. Notably, both games this year have been clinched by the chasing sides.

Also read: RCB vs PBKS Match Preview & Where to Watch Live? IPL 2025 Match 34

RCB vs DC Toss Update 

Punjab Kings win the toss and opt to bowl.

RCB vs PBKS Playing 11

RCB: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Yash Dayal

Impact Substitues - Devdutt Padikkal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh

PBKS: Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Shreyas Iyer (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

Impact Substitutes - Prabhsimran Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Suryansh Shedge, Glenn Maxwell, Praveen Dubey

To know more about today's IPL 2025 Match between RCB and PBKS:

Click here for RCB vs PBKS live match commentary 

Click here for RCB vs PBKS match scorecard 

Click here for RCB vs PBKS dream11 team