IPL 2025 Qualifier 1, PBKS vs RCB: Key player match-ups

IPL 2025 Qualifier 1, PBKS vs RCB: Key player match-ups
28 May 2025

Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are set to clash in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 on May 29.

The team that wins this match will get a direct ticket to the final, whereas the losing team will have another chance through the second qualifier.

The impending clash offers quite a few riveting player match-ups. Here are a few of them.

Virat Kohli vs Arshdeep Singh
#1

RCB batter Virat Kohli will once again have the spotlight. He has scored 602 runs in 13 innings at an average of 60.20 and a strike rate of 147.91.

Top stop him, PBKS will bank on Arshdeep Singh, who has taken 18 wickets so far.

As per ESPNcricinfo, Kohli has fallen to Arshdeep twice in nine T20 innings. However, his strike rate reads 182.35.

Shreyas Iyer vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
#2

Although RCB's Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been expensive of late, he could be their best bet against PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer.

The latter is in sublime form, having slammed 514 runs at a strike rate of 171.90.

As per their match-up, Bhuvi has dismissed Iyer thrice in just 11 T20 innings. The Indian seamer has restricted Iyer's strike rate to a mere 90.

Jitesh Sharma vs Yuzvendra Chahal
#3

Jitesh Sharma led RCB to a an incredible victory against Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2025 final league fixture.

Jitesh's unbeaten 85 (33) helped RCB chase down 228, now their highest successful run-chase in IPL history.

He could be troubled by leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the impending clash. Chahal has dismissed Jitesh thrice in seven T20 innings.

The former's strike rate reads 117.14.