Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals IPL Tips - Punjab's charge to continue

By Sridhar Bhamidi

03 Apr 2025

Sridhar Bhamidi 03 Apr 2025

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Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals IPL match predictions to be played in Mullanpur on Saturday, April 5
Punjab won both their matches this season
Rajasthan lost 7 of their last 9 completed matches

Will Shreyas Iyer help Punjab continue their winning start? (Getty Images)

Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals IPL

Punjab Kings play their first home match of the IPL 2025 season looking to continue their winning start against a Rajasthan Royals side keen for some momentum. The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh, will host this match #18 on Saturday, with action to start at 7:30 pm IST.

Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals IPL
Head to Head
Punjab Kings Form
Punjab Kings Team News
Rajasthan Royals Form
Rajasthan Royals Team News
Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals IPL FAQs

The squad changes seem to have brought a new energy to Punjab, who have certainly benefitted from Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy. Rajasthan Royals will look for some momentum themselves, as Sanju Samson returns as captain. Will that change the script? I am still backing Punjab to win here.

Punjab won both their matches this season.
Rajasthan lost 2 of their 3 matches this season.
Rajasthan lost 7 of their last 9 completed matches.
Punjab won 5 of their last 8 matches.

Head to Head

Punjab Kings played the Rajasthan Royals in 28 matches so far, with 11 wins for the Kings and 16 wins for the Royals. One match ended in a tie.

Last season saw the teams win one match each, as the Royals won by three wickets in Mullanpur and Punjab won by five wickets in Guwahati.

Punjab Kings Form

Punjab started the season really well, as Shreyas Iyer and co. began with two wins in two. They defeated Gujarat Titans by 11 runs and then swept past Lucknow Super Giants by eight wickets. Both those wins came away from home.

The Kings have benefitted from how their captain Iyer (149 runs, SR 206.94) has led from the front with fifties in each game. There’s still more to come from Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis, which makes Delhi a dangerous side.

Arshdeep Singh’s wickets (five) have led Punjab’s bowling, but they still haven’t got the best of Yuzvendra Chahal (ER 10) or Marco Jansen (ER 9).

Punjab Kings Team News

Marco Jansen’s place could be under threat if Punjab look for better control in the form of Azmatullah Omarzai.

Rajasthan Royals Form

The Rajasthan Royals have just two points from their three matches in this season. They started with two defeats, losing by 44 runs to Hyderabad and by eight wickets to Kolkata. Their lone win came in their last match against Chennai by six runs.

The Royals have always enjoyed Indian batters leading their charge, as Nitish Rana, Dhruv Jurel, and Sanju Samson have posted individual fifties. There’s still a lot to do, though, as Shimron Hetmyer is yet to come to the party.

The bowlers have all conceded at or more than 9.50 runs per over, which is a concern. Jofra Archer’s economy (12.84) is a bigger worry.

Rajasthan Royals Team News

Akash Madhwal could fancy a game and even replace Jofra Archer, although it could be Kwena Maphaka who may sneak into the XI.

Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals IPL FAQs

Where can I watch the Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals IPL live stream?

Our live streaming calendar shows you where to watch the Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals IPL live stream.

What time does Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals IPL start?

This Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals IPL match is being played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, starting at 7:30 p.m. IST on Saturday, April 5.

Verdict

Punjab Kings v Rajasthan Royals - T20

Punjab have momentum with them, and their wins this season have been convincing. The Kings are likely to continue their charge, especially with Shreyas Iyer leading their batting unit with aplomb. I am backing Punjab to win here.