Cricket Prediction | RR vs PBKS | IPL 2025 | 59th Match | May 18 – Will RR Spoil PBKS’s Top-Four Party?

RR vs PBKS Match Analysis

The 59th match of IPL 2025 between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings is scheduled at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 7th, 2025, with a 7:30 PM IST start. Both teams are eager to secure vital points as the playoffs approach. Expect a thrilling contest between two evenly matched squads.

Rajasthan Royals have been an exciting blend of youth and experience this season, led by Sanju Samson’s aggressive leadership. Their batting lineup features promising talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shimron Hetmyer, who have delivered crucial performances. 

Shreyas scripts victories like a symphony, loud, bold, and impossible to ignore. Stoinis smashes planets, Iyer steers the spaceship, Arshdeep rockets with pace, and Chahal spins galaxies out of tight spots. This isn’t cricket; it’s cosmic warfare.

Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings Team Preview & Squads

Rajasthan Royals

With a leader like Sanju Samson, steadfast but calm and composed, the RR will be sure that they are fulfilling their duties in his role as the captain. He has been an important part of the team as someone who has played as an innings anchor but also got the batting in motion. 

Rajasthan Royals boast a flexible batting order with explosive players like Shimron Hetmyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal who can accelerate the innings early. Middle order solidity comes from Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag, providing stability and finishing firepower.

The bowling unit for the Royals has a solid group. They have pace options with Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger who can generate breakthroughs when necessary. Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana are the spinners in the unit, have good variety, and can take wickets in the middle overs. 

The Kolkata Knight Riders had a strong total of 206/4 at the end of their innings, while the Rajasthan Royals put in a very strong performance and finished with 205/8 in the 20 overs – just 1 run short. I say 1 run short, because that is what I believe it was, and even though it was a loss, there is a bright spot in this solid effort for the Royals and they will definitely show up stronger.

Rajasthan Royals Squad

Rajasthan Royals

Sanju Samson (C), Dhruv Jurel (Wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kunal Singh Rathore, Jofra Archer, Ashok Sharma, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande, Shubham Dubey, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Riyan Parag, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Maheesh Theekshana, Yudhvir Sing

Punjab Kings

Shreyas Iyer leads Punjab Kings with strategic acumen and calm leadership. His consistent batting form anchors the side, inspiring confidence across the squad. Iyer’s ability to motivate younger players has helped Punjab maintain a competitive edge.

Punjab Kings have a robust batting lineup featuring power hitters like Marcus Stoinis and Kyle Jamieson. Josh Inglis and Prabhsimran Singh provide the team with solid starts, while the middle order boasts depth with Shreyas Iyer and Harpreet Brar. 

Punjab has an impressive bowling lineup that is headlined by explosive Arshdeep Singh and experienced wrist spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Opponents face Jamieson like they’re playing cricket on a trampoline, surprise guaranteed.

Punjab Kings batted impressively to a large score of 236/5. Lucknow Super Giants put up a fair show in their chase but fell short at 199/7 (37 runs) Punjab Kings made a good job of the chase and further bolstered their playoff hopes. 

Punjab Kings Squad

Punjab Kings

Shreyas Iyer (C), Josh Inglis (Wk), Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Arshdeep Singh, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Azmatullah Omarzai, Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal, Praveen Dubey, Aaron Hardie, Harnoor Singh, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Marco Jansen, Musheer Khan, Mitchell Owen, Kuldeep Sen, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Suryansh Shedge, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Nehal Wadhera, Yash Thakur

RR vs PBKS Outfield Report

Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

The pitch at Narendra Modi Stadium generally favors batting with true bounce and consistent carry. Pacers can extract some early movement, but spinners often come into play during the middle overs. Batting second has historically been a slight advantage here due to predictable conditions.

The weather forecast predicts clear skies with mild temperatures hovering around 28°C during the evening game. Humidity will be moderate, providing comfortable conditions for players and fans alike.

The highest recorded total at this venue in IPL matches is around 230 runs, while the lowest successful chase has been approximately 150 runs. Scores above 200 are often challenging but defendable, especially with disciplined bowling. 

Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches

In the last five games between the Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings, both sides have won two matches but Punjab Kings have won one more than that. 

RR vs PBKS Prediction

According to cricket analysts Punjab Kings have a 56% chance of Winning.

Disclaimer: This cricket prediction is based on the author’s insights and analysis. Readers should consider the points discussed and draw their own conclusions.