IPL 2025, Match - 18 | PBKS vs RR | Fantasy Tips, Prediction & Preview

Punjab Kings (PBKS) will lock horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 18th game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. PBKS have won their first two games and are at the top of the points table with an NRR of 1.485. Whereas, RR have one win in three games and are in ninth place.

Punjab Kings have had an impressive start to their IPL 2025 campaign, securing two consecutive victories. In their opening match on March 25, 2025, against the Gujarat Titans, they clinched the win by 11 runs after posting a formidable total of 243/5. Building on this momentum, PBKS beat LSG by 8 wickets in the second game with Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer scoring half-centuries. This will be the first home game for the PBKS franchise under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, and they have so far given some incredible performances this season.

On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals have had an up-and-down start to IPL 2025, winning one out of their first three matches. They began their season with a high-scoring encounter against SRH, where they fell short by 44 runs while chasing a massive 286 target. Their struggles continued in the second game against KKR, managing only 151/9, which KKR comfortably chased down to hand RR their second consecutive loss. However, RR bounced back strongly in their third match against CSK, defending 182 runs successfully to register a much-needed 6-run victory, thanks to Nitish Rana’s explosive 81 and disciplined bowling at the death.

Match Timings

Match Toss Time - 07:00 PM IST (01:30 PM GMT)

Match Start Time - 07:30 PM IST (02:00 PM GMT)

Match Venue - Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh

Head to Head

Matches Played - 28

Punjab Kings won - 12        Rajasthan Royals won - 16

Last 5 meetings

Punjab Kings won - 2         Rajasthan Royals won - 3

Pitch Report

The surface at this venue is expected to be batting-friendly. Batters will enjoy playing their shots on the surface while bowlers are likely to struggle.

Weather Report

The weather forecast is expected to be hot and clear. There are no chances of rain during the game. The temperature is likely to be around 34°C  with 33% humidity.

Probable Playing XI  

Punjab Kings (PBKS) - Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh(wk), Shreyas Iyer(c), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh

Impact Player - Nehal Wadhera

Rajasthan Royals (RR) - Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag(c), Dhruv Jurel(wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande

Impact Player -  Shubham Dubey

Must Picks

PBKS - Shreyas Iyer, Marcus Stoinis

RR -  Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana

PBKS vs RR Fantasy Team

Wicket-Keeper : Sanju Samson, Prabhsimran Singh

Batters : Shreyas Iyer

All-rounder : Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Nitish Rana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Riyan Parag, Marco Jansen

Bowlers : Sandeep Sharma, Arshdeep Singh

Captain and Vice-Captain picks

Captain : Shreyas Iyer

Vice-Captain : Nitish Rana

Prediction

Punjab Kings have looked more confident compared to the Rajasthan Royals this season. The bowlers were always the plus side of the RR, but this season, they have lacked consistency. Considering the current form of both teams, PBKS are favorites to win this contest.

Sportco predicts Punjab Kings to beat Rajasthan Royals in the 18th game of the Indian Premier League 2025.

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Cover Credits - IPL.com