Royal Challengers Bengaluru will continue their quest for a first Indian Premier League title when they take on Punjab Kings in the final on Tuesday.
One of the founding teams of the IPL, RCB have been unable to crack the title code yet. However, there is surging hope in the ranks as the team booked its spot in the final after nine long years.
RCB have been impressive through the season and won eight out of eight away matches to finish second in the league table. The Rajat Patidar-led team scored a statement eight-wicket win over PBKS in Qualifier 1 to storm into the finale.
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Punjab Kings, on the other end, bounced back from a precarious position against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 to secure their first final appearance since 2014. On Sunday, they became the first team to beat the Mumbai Indians in a 200+ run chase.
Shreyas Iyer played the captain's knock with an unbeaten 87 off 41 runs to take PBKS through to the final.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, start times, and the latest lineup news.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Punjab Kings live stream, TV channel in India
Here's how to watch this Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Punjab Kings IPL 2025 final match in India:
- TV Channel: Star Sports Network
- Live Stream: Jio Hotstar (app and website)
This game is available for the live TV broadcast in India on Star Sports Network. You can also live stream this game on Jio Hotstar (app and website).
What time does Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Punjab Kings start in India?
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Punjab Kings IPL 2025 final clash takes place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat and starts on Tuesday, June 3 at 7:30 p.m. local time (IST).
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Punjab Kings team news, predicted XI
Phil Salt and Virat Kohli have provided RCB the much-needed stability at the top of the order, and the team will once again rely on the opening pair for a strong start. Though skipper Rajat Patidar is struggling for form since coming back from an injury, he is a big-match player and will look to lead from the front.
The one major concern for RCB is form of all-rounder Liam Livingstone, who has not lived up to his potential. With one match to go, Livingstone will be itching to contribute. Tim David's participation is still uncertain because of a hamstring injury. However, if he is fit to play the final match, he might step in for Livingstone.
Josh Hazlewood returned to the playing XI against PBKS in the Qualifier 1 and proved why he has been the backbone of RCB's bowling lineup this season. Suyash Sharma, who has been featuring as the full-time spinner, delivered his best against PBKS in the last match and would look to repeat a similar performance in Ahmedabad.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru predicted XI: Salt, Virat, Rajat (c), Jitesh (wk), Romario, Livingstone/David, Krunal, Suyash, Bhuvneshwar, Yash, Hazlewood.
Impact Player: Mayank Agarwal
Punjab Kings were impressive in their last match against Mumbai Indians, recovering from their Qualifier 1 defeat and chasing a 200+ total to make the final. The team will be hoping that openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya start firing again.
Josh Inglis and Nehal Wadhera returned to their form against Mumbai in the must-win match and will shoulder the middle-order responsibilities yet again.
Vyshak Vijaykumar was given an opportunity in the starting XI in the previous match. He was economical with the ball and is likely to retain his place for the final. Senior spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who was nursing a finger injury, is back in the team and will be itching to perform against his former team.
Punjab Kings predicted XI: Arya, Iyer (c), Inglis (wk), Shashank, Stoinis, Omarzai, Chahal, Jamieson, Arshdeep, Wadhera, Vijaykumar.
Impact Player: Prabhsimran Singh