The Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Punjab Kings will go head-to-head in the final of the Indian Premier League 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
In Qualifier 1, RCB defeated PBKS by eight wickets and 10 overs to spare to mark one of the most dominant performances in IPL playoff history.
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On the other hand, PBKS completed a record run-chase in Qualifier 2 against the Mumbai Indians on the night of Sunday, June 1, to take a slightly longer route to the final.
As the teams face off in Ahmedabad, The Sporting News looks at what they should be doing after winning the toss.
IPL 2025 Final: What should the team winning the toss do?
The Ahmedabad venue uses black soil pitches that absorb water well — resulting in the pitch staying intact for longer durations. Due to the elasticity on these wickets, there tends to be plenty of uneven bounce.
However, in recent games, the bounce in Ahmedabad has been even, which has helped the batters who are well set in the middle
READ MORE: What if the IPL final between RCB and PBKS ends in a tie?
Historically, since the IPL is being played in Ahmedabad, the teams batting first have won 21 games as opposed to 22 of the teams batting second.
It wouldn't make a lot of difference apart from the context of the big game and scorecard pressure in the chase.
Hence, considering the strengths of both teams, winning the toss and deciding to chase is a better option in the final of IPL 2025.
What is the record of IPL teams batting first and teams chasing in Ahmedabad?
| Played | Won batting first | Won bowling first | Tie/NR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 21 | 22 | 1/0 |