Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings 59th Match Preview & Prediction

The 59th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 pits Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Sunday, May 18, 2025. With PBKS vying for a playoff spot and RR aiming to salvage pride after elimination, this clash promises an engaging contest.

1.Match Overview
2.Current Standings and Form
3.Head-to-Head Record
4.Venue Analysis
5.Key Players
6.Prediction

Match Overview

Match: RR vs PBKS, 59th Match, IPL 2025
Date: Sunday, May 18, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM
Venue: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

Current Standings and Form

According to the IPL 2025 points table:

Rank	Team	Matches	Won	Lost	NR	Points	NRR
1	GT	11	8	3	0	16	+0.793
2	RCB	11	8	3	0	16	+0.482
3	PBKS	11	7	3	1	15	+0.376
4	MI	12	7	5	0	14	+1.156
5	DC	11	6	4	1	13	+0.362
6	KKR	12	5	6	1	11	+0.193
7	LSG	11	5	6	0	10	-0.469
8	SRH	11	3	7	1	7	-1.192
9	RR	12	3	9	0	6	-0.718
10	CSK	12	3	9	0	6	-0.992

Punjab Kings: 3rd place, 15 points from 11 matches (7 wins, 3 losses, 1 no result), NRR +0.376
Rajasthan Royals: 9th place, 6 points from 12 matches (3 wins, 9 losses), NRR -0.718

Recent Form

PBKS: W W NR L W

May 04: Beat LSG by 37 runs
Apr 30: Beat CSK by 4 wickets
Apr 26: No result vs KKR
Apr 20: Lost to RCB by 7 wickets
Apr 18: Beat RCB by 5 wickets

RR: L L W L L

May 04: Lost to KKR by 1 run
May 01: Lost to MI by 100 runs
Apr 28: Beat GT by 8 wickets
Apr 24: Lost to RCB by 11 runs
Apr 19: Lost to LSG by 2 runs

RR holds a 3-2 advantage, though these results span multiple seasons, making current form more relevant.

Head-to-Head Record

In their last five encounters:

RR won by 50 runs
PBKS won by 5 wickets (7 balls remaining)
RR won by 3 wickets (1 ball remaining)
RR won by 4 wickets (2 balls remaining)
PBKS won by 5 runs

RR holds a 3-2 advantage, though these results span multiple seasons, making current form more relevant.

Venue Analysis

The Sawai Mansingh Stadium is RR’s home ground, where they have historically dominated PBKS, winning 5 of 6 IPL matches, with PBKS’s sole victory in 2019. This home advantage, bolstered by crowd support and pitch familiarity, could favor RR despite their season-long struggles.

Key Players

Rajasthan Royals:

Yashasvi Jaiswal: Explosive opener
Sanju Samson: Captain and key batsman
Riyan Parag: Emerging all-rounder
Wanindu Hasaranga: Crafty spinner
Jofra Archer: Game-changing pacer

Punjab Kings:

Shreyas Iyer: In-form captain
Marcus Stoinis: Powerful all-rounder
Glenn Maxwell: Dynamic batsman
Yuzvendra Chahal: Wily spinner
Arshdeep Singh: Reliable pacer

Prediction

RR benefits from playing at home and a strong historical record against PBKS at this venue. However, their dismal season (3 wins in 12 matches) and recent form (4 losses in 5) suggest a lack of momentum. Conversely, PBKS, with a robust 7-3 record and three recent wins, is motivated to secure a playoff berth, sitting comfortably at third with 15 points.

PBKS’s balanced squad, featuring Shreyas Iyer’s leadership, Stoinis and Maxwell’s firepower, and Chahal and Arshdeep’s bowling prowess, outweighs RR’s reliance on standout performances from Archer and Samson. While RR may play freely without pressure, PBKS’s superior form and stakes in the game tilt the scales.

Final Prediction: Punjab Kings to win.

WIN PROBABILITY: RR:44% PBKS:56%