When it comes to the Indian Premier League (IPL), few rivalries are as exciting and unpredictable as the ones featuring Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS). Both are known for their high-octane batting line-ups, star power and rabid followers. This rivalry has given breathtaking finishes, high-scoring drama and unforgettable episodes on and off the field down the years to make it one of the most enthralling ones in IPL.
The RCB vs PBKS history is a mixed bag with the two sides exchanging wins regularly and the head-to-head record has always been closely contested. Let’s explore their rivalry, some highlights of the past and some of the events of the 2025 season, where the narrative shifted in grand fashion.
Early Years of RCB vs PBKS Rivalry
In this rivalry, the early seasons of the IPL belonged to Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab). With players such as Yuvraj Singh, Mahela Jayawardene and Shaun Marsh, they have bossed RCB’s inconsistent side so frequently. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru possessed power hitters Jacques Kallis and a young Virat Kohli, but despite that, the results didn’t go in their favour.
PBKS dominated the rivalry in the first few years. A combination of aggressive batting and balanced bowling tilted the game in PBKS’ favour, with RCB banking on team balance. But when RCB started to find their groove in the early 2010s – with the enlistment of big guns such as Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers – the contest had become more competitive.
Iconic Matches in the Rivalry
RCB vs PBKS history has witnessed high-voltage encounters, but some of those contests stand tall as landmarks through the passage of time.
- PBKS’s Revenge in Mohali: A Few seasons later, the Punjab franchise exacted its revenge with scintillating performances from Glenn Maxwell and David Miller as they hunted down daunting targets and let RCB know that this rivalry was not as one-sided as they thought.
- Super Overs & Last-Ball Thrillers: There have been close finishes as well over the years in this rivalry. A few matches went to the wire and were decided by a single ball or by a Super Over, and the fans of both sides were made to bite their nails until the very end.
Those games were a prelude to what would be an intense and unpredictable showdown each year.
RCB vs PBKS Head-to-Head Record
| Category | RCB | PBKS |
| Matches Played | 37 | 37 |
| Matches Won | 19 | 18 |
| Matches Lost | 18 | 19 |
| No Result | 0 | 0 |
| Highest Score | 241 | 232 |
| Lowest Score | 84 | 88 |
What adds to the thrill of this contest is the head-to-head record since day one.
Unlike the other respective rivalries in the IPL, where one team clearly outshines the other, RCB and PBKS have been trading points.
- Or had the upper hand in the early seasons, Punjab.
- By the mid-2010s, RCB had evened the score, with the Houdini act of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle.
- Heading into 2025, there was little illusion about history as a whole, when it came to both sides having close to the same number of wins over the other.
This numerical equilibrium is a testament to the fickleness of the rivalry- whenever RCB plays PBKS, the fans hope for firecrackers, and more often than not, they do get it.
The Build-Up to IPL 2025
Both franchises would have had a point to prove heading into the 2025 IPL season.
The Royal Challengers of Bengaluru were yet to win the IPL. One of the most followed IPL teams, with legends such as Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle in their ranks at various times, the RCB had never got their hands on the coveted trophy.
Punjab Kings‘ sister franchise, on the other hand, had played in the finals once but had never won the cup. Renowned as underdogs who could beat anyone on their day, PBKS were looking to break their own pattern of inconsistency.
RCB vs PBKS in IPL 2025
League Stage Encounters
The two sides initially locked horns at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Punjab Kings surprised the home fans by overhauling the target in a truncated, rain-affected encounter. High-voltage hitting from Tim David made the difference as PBKS claimed early bragging rights.
And within a couple of days, they were clashing again in the new stadium in Chandigarh. This time, RCB came after them, their bowlers holding their nerves in the last few overs. The victory gave the series a clean slate, a reminder that yes, this rivalry was ready for another drama-filled chapter.
The Playoffs Drama
Both teams had made the playoffs as the league stage ended. Punjab Kings made their way to the final with a crushing victory and there was no surprise in that, given Shreyas Iyer’s heroic innings in Qualifier 1. RCB, however, had to do it the difficult way, prevailing in a hard-fought Qualifier 2 to book a mega RCB vs PBKS IPL Final 2025.
The Historic 2025 IPL Final
The final was no ordinary match – it was to make history. Neither team had won the trophy before, so fans were guaranteed a first-time champion no matter the outcome.
RCB’s Innings
RCB, batting first, had posted 190 on the board. Virat Kohli was the linchpin with a fluent 43 and the middle-order fired with a few brisk runs too. It felt a touch under what they might have been aiming for, but competitive enough to keep the contest alive.
PBKS’s Chase
Punjab Kings made a good start as their top-order batsmen started hitting shots to the fence in the early overs. It all turned around when the spinners from RCB took some important wickets in the middle overs. But PBKS were not down and out. Shashank Singh was out of the world; he scored an unbeaten 61 from 30 balls. His late onslaught with the bat ensured PBKS were in the chase till the final over.
But RCB’s bowlers, with the experience, were able to keep their composure. Krunal Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar came to the party under pressure to keep PBKS down to 184/7.
The Moment of Glory
RCB scraped home by 6 runs, and thereby ended their 17-year-long wait for a title. The ground went ballistic, and Virat Kohli’s tearful vision became the highlight of the season. For more than 20 years, since they had been established in 1998, RCB followers had dreamed of this moment and victory was a dream come true for them.
Why This Rivalry Matters
RCB vs PBKS isn’t a numbers game or a contest of record; it’s all about passion, upset, and storm. Here’s why it stands out:
- Even rivalry: Neither team has held the upper hand for more than short stretches in the series. Every season has new fights and new heroes.
- Star Power: The rivalry has always been about the big guns and match-winners and from Kohli, Gayle, AB de Villiers, KL Rahul, Maxwell and Shreyas Iyer, we have got all big names in the playing XI.
- Entertainment: in a game of high scores, last-ball thrillers and dramatic turnarounds, it is a game that keeps the fans on the edge of their seats.
- Emotional Connect: Both the fan bases are highly passionate and the fact that both franchises went title-less for a long time added a different dimension to the rivalry, the one of shared misery and hope.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to contests, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings spectacle has, arguably, been one of the most exciting ones in the history of the IPL. From Chris Gayle’s whirlwind innings to the bravado of PBKS’s chases, from evenly matched head-to-heads to that incredible final of 2025, this game has produced the kind of memories that cricket fans will tell their grandkids.
With RCB finally bagging their first-ever IPL title in 2025 by vanquishing PBKS, the rivalry peaked in sentiment. But for PBKS, the chase goes on, and with the bunch of players they have, the fans know it’s just a question of when, not if, their turn will come to lift the trophy.
Everything changes, but one thing remains the same. The IPL marches on and whenever RCB and PBKS cross swords, it’s eyes for the fight in the sporting world.
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