RCB vs PBKS Head to Head in IPL: The battle between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings is one of cricket’s more compelling rivalries, as both teams have been so frustrating in their quest for their first glory. First, you have RCB, the current champions of the IPL, and how long do you think RCB has been waiting and hard done for their first IPL title? Years and years of patience – 18 years at last count! And then you have PBKS, who almost won their first IPL Championship in 2025. However, the real point is this – RCB won their first IPL title over PBKS in the 2025 IPL Final. RCB plays a very aggressive hunting style of cricket; then you have PBKS, who are also known to have some unpredictable finishes. At times, it feels like RCB’s style of play is trying to outsmart PBKS ‘clever’ game. All of this makes for a very interesting mind game of cricket.
Whenever Royal Challengers Bangalore, despite their superstar players, is tangled with the raucous Punjab Kings, they seem to always be extremely close. There is never a match here where one team is completely dominant; it feels like two friends who are evenly matched and trying to get one up on each other. Punjab, although sometimes a bit mum, is also rather audacious and sly. Maybe that’s why their games always seem to be so close with remarkable comebacks, and they rarely are peculiarly one-sided and almost always come right down to the wire, leaving everyone, including fans and analysts alike, holding their breath as if they are simply watching a true stark battle of pride.
They have given us thrilling, exciting, high-scoring thrillers and some amazing, riveting, and nail-biting low scorers, too. For any fan of the respective franchise, it’s rightly put, a match between RCB and PBKS is a heart-in-mouth affair. There are no lenient or easy wins here; it’s always going to be tough, scrap down to the last ball. Fans are indeed left in suspense each time. Let’s take a full, detailed account of the RCB vs PBKS Head to Head in IPL, Records, Stats, and Results. Scroll down for more.
RCB vs PBKS Head-to-Head Record
The rivalry matches between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings never fall in one direction; rather, they are like a lovely tug-of-war match. In their 37 exhilarating matches, RCB has won 19 and not much more, with Punjab very near, with 18 wins.
| Total Matches | 37 |
|---|---|
| RCB Won | 19 |
| PBKS Won | 18 |
| RCB Lost | 18 |
| PBKS Lost | 19 |
| Draw | 0 |
| Tied | 0 |
| No Result | 0 |
RCB vs PBKS Head-to-Head Record at Home Ground
RCB Record at Home Ground Against PBKS
Even in their own vibrant M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have to struggle against the Punjab Kings in close-fought matches. In 13 thrilling matches on RCB’s home ground, they have been victorious 7 times. The Punjab Kings are, however, formidable opponents as they have disrupted RCB’s celebrations 6 times.
| Total Matches | 13 |
|---|---|
| RCB Won | 7 |
| PBKS Won | 6 |
| RCB Lost | 7 |
| PBKS Lost | 6 |
| Draw | 0 |
| Tied | 0 |
| No Result | 0 |
PBKS Record at Home Ground Against RCB
Despite playing at home, for the Punjab Kings, it’s truly a battle against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Punjab has played 11 matches at their home ground, and they have actually won 4 of the matches. RCB have had 7 victories in these encounters at Punjab’s home ground.
| Total Matches | 11 |
|---|---|
| PBKS Won | 4 |
| RCB Won | 7 |
| PBKS Lost | 7 |
| RCB Lost | 4 |
| Draw | 0 |
| Tied | 0 |
| No Result | 0 |
RCB vs PBKS Head-to-Head Record at Away Ground
RCB Record at Away Ground Against PBKS
Royal Challengers Bangalore tend to be a difficult opponent when they travel to Punjab. Out of 11 encounters in Punjab’s home ground, RCB have won a staggering 7 games, compared to 4 wins for Punjab.
| Total Matches | 11 |
|---|---|
| RCB Won | 7 |
| PBKS Won | 4 |
| RCB Lost | 4 |
| PBKS Lost | 7 |
| Draw | 0 |
| Tied | 0 |
| No Result | 0 |
PBKS Record at Away Ground Against RCB
The Punjab Kings are in for a battle when they hit the road and take on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, home of the Royal Challengers (RCB). The Punjabis have 13 trips to Chinnaswamy, and if one thing stands out, it is that they have shown their fight as they’ve been able to steal 6 wins from the challengers.
| Total Matches | 13 |
|---|---|
| PBKS Won | 6 |
| RCB Won | 7 |
| PBKS Lost | 7 |
| RCB Lost | 6 |
| Draw | 0 |
| Tied | 0 |
| No Result | 0 |
RCB vs PBKS Head-to-Head Record at Neutral Venues
Whenever Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings leave their stadiums to play in neutral venues, it’s always Punjab who seems to deal with the conditions better. Of the 13 matches played as equals, Punjab led the match battle 8-5.
| Total Matches | 13 |
|---|---|
| RCB Won | 5 |
| PBKS Won | 8 |
| RCB Lost | 8 |
| PBKS Lost | 5 |
| Draw | 0 |
| Tied | 0 |
| No Result | 0 |
RCB vs PBKS: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Records & Stats
Highest Score in RCB vs PBKS Rivalry
That day in Dharamsala, it was a great display of enormous striking power; Royal Challengers Bangalore smashed 241 runs for the loss of 7 wickets, which looked more like a video game total than a real-life total.
Highest Score by RCB Against PBKS
On that day in Dharamsala, the Royal Challengers Bangalore put on a fireworks show against the Punjab Kings. They scored a staggering 241 runs for 7 wickets.
Highest Score by PBKS Against RCB
Way back at the beautiful Dharamsala stadium, the Punjab Kings exhibited an exhibition of power-hitting against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. They smashed 232 runs losing just two wickets.
Lowest Score in RCB vs PBKS Rivalry
The Punjab Kings have had a couple of truly forgettable days against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. On 2 separate occasions, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium and Indore, their batting unit imploded completely. They were bowled out for a truly paltry sum of just 88 runs.
Lowest Score by RCB Against PBKS
It was a day to forget for Royal Challengers Bangalore in Dubai, which is known for its spectacular locations. In a difficult match against the Punjab Kings, RCB could not find any rhythm with its batting lineup and then saw a rare collapse from its batting lineup. RCB managed to score just 109 runs, which was far too small a score to think about competing against.
Lowest Score by PBKS Against RCB
The Punjab Kings experienced a total batting collapse against Royal Challengers Bangalore twice, with the team winding up with a very low total of only 88 runs. It is a rare and unfortunate history that happened first at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and later again at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. It was simply a day when the RCB bowlers had gone berserk, and the PBKS batsmen had no answers, leaving fans dumbfounded.
Individual Records in RCB vs PBKS Rivalry
Most Runs & Highest Score in RCB vs PBKS Rivalry
India’s legendary batsman, Virat Kohli from RCB, has scored the most runs in this rivalry with 1159 runs to his name. India’s another star, KL Rahul from PBKS, has scored the most runs for PBKS against RCB with 451 runs. KL Rahul also holds the record for the highest individual score in this rivalry with a score of 132. Caribbean monster, Chris Gayle for Punjab, has registered the highest individual score against RCB.
| Stats | RCB | PBKS |
| Most Runs | Virat Kohli (1159 runs) | KL Rahul (451 runs) |
| Highest scorer | Chris Gayle (117) | KL Rahul (132) |
Most Wickets & Best Bowling in RCB vs PBKS Rivalry
India’s spin sensation, Yuzvendra Chahal from RCB, is the highest wicket-taker in this rivalry with 25 wickets to his name. India’s another star pacer, Sandeep Sharma from PBKS, has taken the most wickets against RCB. Sreenath Aravind holds the record for best bowling figure in this rivalry. Piyush Chawla from PBKS holds the record for best bowling figure for PBKS against RCB.
| Stats | RCB | PBKS |
| Most wickets | Yuzvendra Chahal (25 wickets) | Sandeep Sharma (16 wickets) |
| Best Bowling | Sreenath Aravind (4/14) | Piyush Chawla (4/17) |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Timeline
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) rivalry has always been a competitive rivalry, but no season has captured my attention like the 2025 IPL Final. The rivalry started with each team showing resilience and had an interesting give-and-take feel, with both teams almost always splitting the head-to-head record. While RCB typically had a superstar-laden roster to provide fanfare, PBKS matched RCB’s theatrics with determination and fight.
The rivalry hit its pinnacle, in nail-biting fashion, for the ultimate prize in Ahmedabad. Both teams had eagerness in their play, desperate to earn their first championship. RCB had long suffered with a loyal fan base that had always experienced heartbreak, and was looking to end their jinx. PBKS wanted to earn their right to the championship after years of play that always seemed to falter at the wrong time. The match had the drama of a Hollywood blockbuster and ultimately had children crying in the stands. RCB’s bowlers held their composure during the final overs of play to emerge victorious by a mere 6 runs. It was a day when a team’s hopes and dreams were fulfilled by one team (RCB) and a day of heartbreak for another (PBKS). The final was an emotional finish befitting a rivalry founded on a competitive spirit and mutual respect.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Standings
Royal Challengers Bengaluru opened their first season by finishing in 7th position on the points table. RCB also finished 1st in the Points Table in the IPL 2011. RCB also has two wooden spoons in the IPL 2017 and 2019. Punjab Kings tasted their first wooden spoon in IPL 2010 and then tasted their second in the very next season in IPL 2011, and then the third came in IPL 2016. Punjab Kings topped the points table back in IPL 2014 and then, after 10 years, again topped the table in IPL 2024.
| RCB Position in the Table | IPL Season | PBKS Position in the Table |
| 7th | 2008 | 2nd |
| 3rd | 2009 | 5th |
| 4th | 2010 | 8th |
| 1st | 2011 | 5th |
| 5th | 2012 | 6th |
| 5th | 2013 | 6th |
| 7th | 2014 | 1st |
| 3rd | 2015 | 8th |
| 2nd | 2016 | 8th |
| 8th | 2017 | 5th |
| 6th | 2018 | 7th |
| 8th | 2019 | 6th |
| 4th | 2020 | 6th |
| 3th | 2021 | 6th |
| 4th | 2022 | 6th |
| 6th | 2023 | 8th |
| 4th | 2024 | 9th |
| 2nd | 2025 | 1st |
