From Gayle’s six-storms to Kohli’s masterclass chases, RCB vs PBKS matches have long been some of the most thrilling in IPL history. Over 37 meetings between these teams, with 19 victories going RCB’s way and 18 for Punjab Kings.
After four consecutive losses in IPL finals against PBKS in Ahmedabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore finally ended their long title drought with an emphatic six-wicket win on Sunday.
This historic victory added a new chapter to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Vs Punjab Kings Timeline, highlighting RCB’s resilience and dominance in one of the most intense IPL rivalries.
| Date | Venue | RCB Score | PBKS Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 Jun 2025 | Ahmedabad | 190/9 | 184/7 | RCB won by 6 runs |
| 29 May 2025 | Mullanpur | 106/2 | 101/10 | RCB won by 8 wickets |
| 20 Apr 2025 | Mullanpur | 159/3 | 157/6 | RCB won by 7 wickets |
| 18 Apr 2025 | Bengaluru | 95/9 | 98/5 | PBKS won by 5 wickets |
| 09 May 2024 | Dharamsala | 241/7 | 181 | RCB won by 60 runs |
RCB vs PBKS Chinnaswamy Stadium
The Indian Premier League rivalry between RCB and PBKS is one of the most intriguing. Over time, both teams have met in numerous tense encounters that have provided fans with plenty of entertainment – dating back to their inaugural match back in 2008.
We take a look back at the history behind this legendary rivalry as we explore some key moments which make it so compelling.
RCB and PBKS first met for the inaugural IPL tournament at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru back in 2008.
Both sides enjoyed mixed fortunes during that tournament; eventually RCB emerged victorious with a six-wicket win.
Since then, both sides have enjoyed an up and down relationship which has seen both rise to prominence over time.
Early in their rivalry, AB de Villiers often proved decisive for RCB and was often the difference-maker during high-pressure matches against PBKS.
After his retirement, Virat Kohli took over and took RCB to new heights despite which, some wins still managed to slip by for PBKS despite Kohli’s brilliance.
However, things quickly changed once Priyansh Arya and Nehal Wadhera joined PBKS. Both players became formidable threats with both bat and ball, helping PBKS win several matches during its latter stage in this rivalry.
In 2020, these two teams met again for an IPL match at M Chinnaswamy stadium and, despite an outstanding effort from AB de Villiers and team, Royal Challengers Bangalore lost due to some brilliant bowling from Priyansh Arya & co.
The match between these two teams promises to be an action-packed encounter. Both are riding high on success and will aim to maintain it throughout their upcoming matchup.
RCB-PBKS rivalry will remain fierce over the course of this season and beyond. Both clubs are fighting hard for top spot in the table and this clash could determine who ends up on top at season’s end.
RCB vs PBKS Mohali
The Royal Challengers Bangalore-PBKS rivalry epitomizes all that IPL fans value: explosive batting, thrilling finishes and star power.
Although neither team have won an IPL title yet, both continue to captivate huge fan bases through their entertaining brand of cricket – led by Virat Kohli’s consistency and Siraj’s death bowling for RCB while Dhawan and Rabada provide pace on which PBKS rely.
RCB and Punjab met twice this season, both games featuring high-scoring thrillers. In Cuttack, RCB defeated Punjab by 6 wickets after chasing down 190; David Miller’s superb 101* (38) helped lead them to victory while Adam Gilchrist and Azhar Mahmood took combined 7 wicket haul for PBKS.
However, when they met again in Bengaluru later on Chris Gayle laid down an onslaught, with Kallis and Uthappa both being key factors in helping RCB win by record 138 run margin.
RCB have shown promising performances recently, yet will face stiff competition from an impressively resurgent PBKS side.
After suffering defeat in Qualifier 1, they came back strongly against MI in Qualifier 2 with an incredible innings – scoring 243 for 5 in an inspiring display of pace & control against them and setting an excellent tone-setter innings against MI in Qualifier 2 to take their momentum into the final. A wet pitch may impede these chances however.
Mohali Final victory would propel PBKS into the top four of league standings and build on this success without key players like Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane, both injured due to injury. Their absence would be felt greatly by PBKS’s batting attack as both are integral players for them.
Even with injuries hampering them, Royal Challengers Bangalore remain one of the favourites to win this match, boasting an excellent record against PBKS at this stadium. Over four previous finals played between these sides, three went in favour of RCB with Kohli leading them and winning three of them and only one going against them; standout duels such as Kohli-Rabada and Maxwell-Rabada will certainly add drama and excitement during this fixture.
RCB vs PBKS Qualifier 1
Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Punjab Kings by eight wickets at PCA stadium in New Chandigarh to qualify for the 2025 Indian Premier League tournament. RCB bowlers justified captain Rajat Patidar’s decision to field first, as they limited them to just 101 runs after 14 overs – Marcus Stoinis scored 26 runs as their top scorer.
The game was a high-stakes contest between two teams with the winner earning their place in the IPL final. PBKS needed to win this match if they wanted any chance at reaching their maiden IPL title, but their batting failed against an impressive RCB attack led by Phil Salt and Moeen Ali.
This was their second meeting this season; the first being an uneventful rain-shortened affair that saw Punjab win the toss and elect to bat first. Their second encounter saw an entirely different approach as RCB tore apart Punjab to secure an intense high-scoring tie in Mohali.
RCB will aim to extend their winning run against Punjab by playing another high-scoring match against them; 18 out of their 35 matches against them have already been won by them.
At the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will face off with Royal Bengal Knights (PBKS), in what promises to be an epic clash that features some of the greatest batsmen ever seen in an IPL matchup.
Virat Kohli will look to become the first Indian Premier League (IPL) cricketer to score his inaugural century, while PBKS captain Adam Gilchrist hopes to break Shaun Marsh’s IPL 2009 record of 136 not out, having scored an unbeaten 74 during their last meeting. Both sides boast formidable bowling units.
Moeen Ali of Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to make amends for his poor form against Punjab Kings last time out, while young pacers from PBKS hope to use this match-up as an opportunity to stake their claim for inclusion in the IPL final. In terms of head-to-head records, RCB lead with 17 victories compared with 13 from Punjab; therefore the team who wins this contest will qualify for it.
RCB vs PBKS Final
The RCB-PBKS final was one of the most compelling matches of IPL 2018. From powerplays to death overs, every key moment felt like a dramatic moment – even those unfamiliar with IPL were riveted to their television sets for nearly the duration.
Fans remained engaged even after it concluded as Twitter and Reddit users discussed who should win player of the match; an appropriate culmination to an entertaining rivalry which has endured for nearly 20 years!
After their disappointing loss to Kings earlier in the week, RCB made up for it by dominating PBKS in New Chandigarh with an emphatic win on Thursday evening. Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal both hit half centuries as RCB easily chased down 191 runs while Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya shone with wickets each.
PBKS began well, with openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh making an explosive start. By the end of the powerplay they reached 50 runs; however they struggled to maintain an acceptable rate after that.
Even with Josh Inglis’ impressive 29 off 17 balls score in the middle overs, their middle order fell apart; Romario Shepherd dropped Priyansh in the third over and Hazlewood eventually bowled him in the fifth; Sheth then caught Josh Inglis off his second ball, effectively ending any chance for any potential comeback attempts by his team-mates.
RCB’s bowlers kept Punjab to just 29 runs in four final overs of play. Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh tried their hardest to push up the scoreboard but their efforts were denied by an effective disciplined batting performance from RCB batting display.
Nehal Wadhera unfortunately fell in the final over when trying to accelerate and was run out by Sheth while Marcus Stoinis quickly followed in the next over.
Though both teams showed some sloppy fielding, RCB’s quick run-rate was enough for them to triumph and become only the fourth team ever in IPL history to have won four or more finals and reclaim their crown as champions.
This final was an unforgettable conclusion to an amazing season that saw them shed their “underachievers” tag and prove they can fight to the bitter end!
