Credit: BCCI/IPL
Punjab Kings are taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first qualifier of IPL 2025 at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. It is going to be a crucial encounter as the winning team will directly advance to the final while the losing team will get another chance in the qualifier two. Ahead of an important game, RCB skipper Rajat Patidar won the toss and put PBKS to bat first.
PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer also said that he was looking to bowl first but was satisfied with his team batting first in the knockout game. Speaking further, Iyer also confirmed Azmatullah Omarzai as a replacement for fast bowler Marco Jansen in PBKS’ playing XI. Notably, Jansen has left the PBKS squad ahead of the playoffs to join the South African team ahead of the World Test Championship final at Lords starting from June 11.
Josh Hazlewood cames back in RCB playing XI
Talking about RCB, they got a big relief as their star fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is back in the playing XI after missing the last four matches in the league stage due to injury. Hazlewood came in palce of Nuwan Thusara who made his debut for RCB in the last game against Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Cricket Stadium. Both PBKS and RCB will look to win their first-ever IPL title this year.
PBKS vs RCB Qualifier one playing XIs
Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Kyle Jamieson
Impact subs: Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Musheer Khan, Xavier Bartlet
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Rajat Patidar(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma
Impact subs: Mayank Agarawal, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Tim Seifert, Swapnil Singh.
