Hyderabad: 

RCB have qualified for the IPL final thrice in the past, losing all three times in 2009, 2011 and 2016. PBKS, on the other hand, qualified for the final once in 2014 when they were known as Kings XI Punjab, losing the match to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) despite posting 199 runs on the board.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) will square off against each other in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Tuesday in order to end their title drought in the competition.

The Rajat Patidar-led side was the first team to qualify for the final. They finished the league stage in second spot with 19 points from 14 games before beating Punjab Kings by eight wickets in Qualifier 1 to book their berth in the final. However, they have not played a single game at Narendra Modi Stadium this season, while Punjab have already played two, their campaign opener against Gujarat Titans (GT) and Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians (MI).

As always, Virat Kohli has been RCB's go-to man with the bat this season having racked up 614 runs at an average of 55.82 and a strike rate of 146.53 this season. On the bowling front, Josh Hazlewood has been their leading wicket-taker with 21 scalps in 11 games at an average of 15.80 and an economy of 8.30. But, the RCB has been a different side as they are not heavily dependent on one or two players which can be evident from different players winning Player of the Match awards in the ongoing season so far.

Punjab Kings, meanwhile, topped the league stage with 19 points from 14 games and a better net run rate than RCB. However, PBKS lost their Qualifier 1 game against RCB, leading to them facing Mumbai Indians in the Qualifier 2 clash, which they won by five wickets to secure their spot in the summit match. Punjab have played RCB three times this season and have lost both games played in Mullanpur and a lone win coming in a rain affected game at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer has been Punjab Kings' best batter this season with 603 runs at an average of 54.82 and a strike rate of 175.80. He also made a match-winning 41-ball 87 not out against MI in Qualifier 2 to help guide PBKS into the final. Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, and Nehal Wadhera have also played crucial knocks when needed.

Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has been Punjab Kings' main man with the ball, having claimed 18 wickets in 16 games at an average of 26.55 and an economy of 8.79. Return of Yuzvendra Chahal will also help them to bolster their bowling lineup.

IPL 2025 Final: Ahmedabad Weather Forecast Today, Narendra Modi Stadium Weather on June 3

The weather on Tuesday (June 3) in Ahmedabad doesn't bear any encouraging news. The temperature will be around 39⁰ C maximum in the day, while the lowest it can get to is 27⁰ C in the evening time. According to the accuweather, there is around 55 per cent rain probability from 5PM to 7PM, while the cloud coverage will be around 52 to 55 per cent.

PBKS vs RCB Head-To-Head Record:

In terms of the head-to-head record between the sides, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings have played each other 36 times, with both teams winning 18 times each. At the Narendra Modi Stadium, PBKS have beaten RCB in the one game they've played against each other here. However, RCB hold a clear recent advantage, having beaten PBKS in five of their last six encounters since 2023. But, Punjab Kings have won their last six games out of seven at Narendra Modi Stadium that will give them confidence.

What happens if IPL 2025 final is washed out due to rain?

Unlike Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2, and Eliminator, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has kept a reserve day in place for the IPL 2025 final. If the match isn't possible on Tuesday due to rain, it will be completed on Wednesday (May 04).

What happens if IPL 2025 final is washed out on Reserve Day too?

In such a case, the team that finished higher in the league stage will be crowned champion. This means Punjab Kings would go on to lift the title while Royal Challengers Bengaluru would return empty-handed.

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