RCB vs PBKS Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2025 Final match?

There's only one narrative surrounding this clash, and understandably so. At the end of Tuesday, June 3 - or at worst, the reserve day - either the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) or the Punjab Kings (PBKS) will finally have an Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy to their name. And at the end of the day, one of them won't.

A new winner has been on the cards for a while now, ever since the Gujarat Titans (GT) went all the way in their maiden campaign. But a new winner among RCB and PBKS has been on the cards for almost two decades. The moment is finally here - it's just a question of which team can hold their nerve and execute better on the night.

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host the contest. PBKS know the ground well, having already played two matches at the venue in IPL 2025. RCB haven't, but their away form has been so admirable that adjusting to new conditions shouldn't be a challenge for them.

Punjab are expected to play a similar lineup to the one that got steamrolled by Bengaluru in Qualifier 1. RCB, meanwhile, will be wondering whether Tim David is fit enough to replace Liam Livingstone in the middle order. When asked about it, captain Rajat Patidar was silent.

PBKS' squad for IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Singh Pannu, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Josh Inglis, Vishnu Vinod, Prabhsimran Singh, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Yuzvendra Chahal, Pravin Dubey, Arshdeep Singh, Kyle Jamieson, Yash Thakur, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Kuldeep Sen, Xavier Bartlett.

RCB's squad for IPL 2025: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Agarwal, Swastik Chikara, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Romario Shepherd, Tim Seifert, Mohit Rathee, Suyash Sharma, Abhinandan Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Salam, Nuwan Thushara, Blessing Muzarabani.

A lot has been said, and a lot has been written. Now, it just comes down to the result.

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IPL 2025: RCB and PBKS look to etch their name on the IPL trophy

2025 IPL - Rajasthan Royals v Punjab Kings - Source: Getty

Josh Hazlewood's incisive bowling was one of the main reasons behind PBKS' thumping loss in Qualifier 1. The Aussie seamer has a terrific head-to-head record against most of Punjab's batters, especially captain Shreyas Iyer, who can't seem to score a run against him.

Yash Dayal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar chipped in with a few wickets as well, while Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya have formed one of the most consistent spin pairings in the league. RCB are well-rounded in the bowling attack, and it's easy to see how they've made it this far.

On paper, Bengaluru are probably the favorites as well. They were clinical in Qualifier 1, and almost all the players in their side have made invaluable contributions. If David replaces Livingstone, Rajat Patidar and Co. will have out-and-out, in-form match-winners throughout their lineup.

So what's PBKS' path to victory? The first course of action would be to see the back of Virat Kohli and Phil Salt early in the powerplay. Arshdeep Singh's form has tapered off since the restart, while Marco Jansen's absence will be felt. Punjab's pace attack looks a bit thin at the moment, with Arshdeep not firing on all cylinders.

It's also hard to see how the Kings can bring in Harpreet Brar without disturbing the playing combination. Vijaykumar Vyshak adds defensive bowling and variations to their middle-overs arsenal, while Yuzvendra Chahal can break open games on his night even though he has been plagued by form and injury concerns this season.

Predicting the outcome of an IPL final is a near-impossible task. Both teams deserve to be here and have the ability to pull it off. The venue is arguably equally suited to both of them, and despite the fact that RCB will have had a longer rest, PBKS will certainly be up for it.

Taking all the intangibles out of the equation, RCB arguably have more bases covered, more experience in their ranks, and have been more consistent with their brand of cricket in IPL 2025. Is it finally time?

Prediction: RCB to win the IPL 2025 Final.