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Hazlewood Returns, X-Factor Omitted As RCB Captain Rajat Patidar Elects To Bowl

Anurag Dasgupta

RCB elect to bowl first [Source: @iplt20.com] RCB elect to bowl first [Source: @iplt20.com]

The stage is set for a riveting Qualifier 1 clash of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) collide with Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Mullanpur Stadium. Both the teams finished in the top 2 of the points table and unlike the teams in the Eliminator will get two shots at the finale.

It has been a smooth ride for both PBKS and RCB in the league stage. The two franchises won 9 games each and lost 4 matches each to finish on 19 points. However, the Shreyas Iyer led side had a better net run-rate and they topped the league table.

While Punjab hardly has any injury issues, RCB has plenty of them with the likes of Tim David and Josh Hazlewood nursing injuries. Will they be fit for the clash, only the toss will tell.

Who won the toss today in RCB Vs PBKS

RCB won the toss and Rajat Patidar had no hesitation in electing to bowl first in a crucial Qualifier 1 match. For the RCB side, Josh Hazlewood returns and Sri Lankan speedster, Nuwan Thushara makes way for him.

Hazlewood suffered from a shoulder injury prior to the IPL suspension and the bowler missed RCB's last two matches. His arrival is a massive boost for RCB who leaked plenty of runs in the last two games.

For PBKS, Azmatullah Omarzai comes into the playing XI, but surprisingly there is no Yuzvendra Chahal in the lineup. The spinner suffered a wrist injury and hasn't recovered from it.

RCB Vs PBKS Lineups

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Playing XI: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood

Punjab Kings Playing XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Josh Inglis, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh