It is a battle of two teams with contrasting fortunes. While the Punjab Kings are sitting pretty and fighting for a spot in the top two, the Rajasthan Royals are out of playoff contention and already in process of preparing for the next edition.
For Match 59 of the 2025 Indian Premier League season, here are our preview and predictions.
Indian Premier League 2025 | Match 59: Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings | May 18, 15:30 IST
Under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, the Kings have been a dangerous side since the start of the tournament. Under the tutelage of new head coach Ricky Ponting, they’ve put in consistent performances with both bat and ball, which is reflected in their strong position on the points table.
Openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh have been given the licence to go after opposition bowlers in the Powerplay. Both batters have put in eye-catching performances this year and provided ideal launchpads for the rest of the batting order. With the likes of Iyer and Shashank Singh, they have the right balance of power, class, and ferocity in their batting lineup.
PBKS’ bowling unit has also turned up when it has mattered the most. Arshdeep Singh is having a season to remember, while Yuzvendra Chahal has been showing in recent games why he is the highest wicket-taker in IPL history.
The Royals, on the other hand, have been a sinking ship throughout the season. Right from the auction, with poor team balance, they’ve got just about everything wrong. With captain Sanju Samson having been absent for most of the season, Riyan Parag has not been able to lead the side effectively.
Their batting has been sub-par, their bowling among the poorest in the tournament, and they’ve managed to lose at least four games from a position of strength—indicating a case of mental fragility.
Both teams will be sweating over their foreign players given recent developments. The Royals have already been handed a blow with pace spearhead Jofra Archer out with injury, while the Kings will be looking eagerly at Marco Jansen given Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis are not expected to return.
This is a lopsided contest, with one team clearly superior than the other in all departments. Expect nothing but a resounding PBKS win in this game.
Fantasy XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Riyan Parag, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Shimron Hetmyer, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sandeep Sharma
Venue: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Winners Prediction: Punjab Kings
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