3 player battles to watch out for in RCB vs PBKS, Match 34 of IPL 2025 ft. Yuzvendra Chahal

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will lock horns with the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 34th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Friday, April 18, at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Both teams have had a good run so far in this year's cash-rich league and will look to keep the momentum going.

RCB have won four out of six games and are third on the table with eight points and an NRR of +0.672. Incidentally, both their defeats this season have come at home, and Rajat Patidar and company will be wary of that, with IPL 2025 approaching the halfway mark.

PBKS have also had an excellent run in this year's cash-rich league. After six games, they are placed just below RCB in the standings with the same points but an inferior NRR of +0.172.

Both sides won their previous matches and will look to continue the momentum. RCB and PBKS have some world-class and in-form players who will go head-to-head in tonight's contest.

On that note, let's look at three player battles to watch out for in today's high-profile contest.

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3 player battles to watch out for in RCB vs PBKS, Match 34 of IPL 2025

#1 Phil Salt vs Arshdeep Singh

The wicketkeeper-batter has carried batting form from last season, where he played a crucial role in helping the Kolkata Knight Riders lift the title. Phil Salt has helped RCB get off to swashbuckling starts and has scored 208 runs in six games at a strike rate of over 185.

However, Salt will be challenged by PBKS pacer Arshdeep Singh, who has troubled him in the past. The left-arm pacer has dismissed the Englishman twice in 25 deliveries while conceding only 20 runs in the shortest format of the game.

Arshdeep can bring the ball back to the right-hander, which could make the RCB opener's job more difficult.

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#2 Glenn Maxwell vs Krunal Pandya

The ace all-rounder has had a horrendous IPL 2025 campaign so far, scoring just 41 runs in six games at an average of just 8.20 and a strike rate of 100. Glenn Maxwell has looked just a shadow of his past, and would want to come up with an improved performance tonight.

His pressure could mount further when he goes up against Bengaluru all-rounder Krunal Pandya, who has dismissed him five times so far. Thus, Maxwell will have to be wary about the ball going away from him and plan accordingly against an experienced Krunal.

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#3 Rajat Patidar vs Yuzvendra Chahal

The RCB skipper has been among the highest run-scorers between overs seven and 15 since IPL 2022. Rajat Patidar's ability to up the ante in the middle phase played a crucial role in Bengaluru reaching the playoffs last year, and he has continued the same job this year, too.

However, Patidar will be challenged by veteran spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who knows this ground better than anyone else. The wily leg-spinner spent eight seasons with the Royal Challengers and has the most wickets at the Chinnaswamy — 58 scalps in 44 innings.

Chahal, who picked up four wickets against Kolkata in the last game, will be riding high on confidence, and his duel with Patidar in the middle overs might make or break the game for either side.