Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Timeline
The RCB vs PBKS timeline is one of the oldest rivalries in the IPL. The two franchises first faced off in the inaugural edition of IPL back in 2008 when Bengaluru was known as Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab competed as Kings XI Punjab. Since then, their contests have seen high totals, big run chases outstanding individual outings and several nail biting finishes. Over the course if the 2026 IPL season, the teams played each other 38 times, with RCB winning just 20 to KKR’s 18. The biggest games of that rivalry occurred in 2025, where the two teams met twice — once in Qualifier 1, and then again in the IPL Final itself, with RCB winning both crucial matchups before lifting the trophy.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Head-to-Head Record
In 38 matches across IPL history so far, the overall RCB vs PBKS head-to-head record is still tightly contested. RCB have 20 wins while Punjab Kings have 18. In their history, there have been no tied matches and no-results between the two teams in IPL meetings. This rivalry has also hit peaks and valleys, with Punjab dominating several of the early-to-mid years before a stronger recent record for RCB. They have been played across venues in India and abroad like Bengaluru, Mohali, Dharamsala, Dubai and other places in IPL. The matches have been consistently littered with high scoring innings, especially in batting friendly conditions which have allowed the likes of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, KL Rahul, Faf du Plessis and the like to make their mark on proceedings.
2008 – Punjab Kings Start With Two Wins
The rivalry began in 2008 when Royal Challengers Bangalore played against Kings XI Punjab in the first season of IPL. Punjab claimed victory in both games, establishing a 2–0 lead in their head-to-head record. In their first meeting, held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru owned by Royal Challengers Bangalore in mid-April, Kings XI Punjab won by six wickets. Punjab then sealed the season double by taking this fixture in Mohali by a nine-wicket margin. The results crowned Punjab the better team — after all, this was only the first chapter of their rivalry — and RCB would have to wait another season for effectively their first victory against the franchise.
2009 – RCB Record Their First Victory
In the 2009 IPL, which was moved to South Africa, the two sides met twice more. In the first match, Punjab defeated RCB by 7 wickets, but when they crossed paths again, it was RCB who emerged victorious with a narrow victory by 8 runs. It was an importnat result for Bengaluru it was their first ever win against Kings XI Punjab. Both teams win one match each where Punjab’s early lead has been curtailed and the rivalry should develop into a much tighter contest.
2010 – RCB Complete Their First Clean Sweep
RCB finally registered a season clean sweep over Punjab in 2010, winning both matches of the season. While scored and thrashed another one by six wickets. The two wins were RCB’s first 2–0 season record over Punjab and a massive improvement compared to their difficult opening campaign in 2008. RCB’s success also made the overall head-to-head record very competitive.
2011 – One Win Each
One of the largest swings in this rivalry’s history occurred in 2011 (which you can see above). RCB thrashed Punjab in one game by 85 runs, but Punjab replied with a 111-run thrashing of RCB at Dharamsala. The 111-run win for Punjab still stands as since then one of the biggest wins by runs over RCB. However, it meant that the teams ended up with one win each on the season so yet another season where Boston and Los Angeles have gone toe to toe in terms of competition.
2012 – Punjab Regain Control
In 2012, Punjab regained their victorious momentum by wrapping up each of the two games that were on the agenda between both teams after RCB had beaten them in a previous match. The results handed Kings XI Punjab a 2–0 season lead as well as launching another successful short term for the franchise in this particular head-to-head matchup. In both instances RCB couldn’t reply, and Punjab are back in the overall contest building up momentum.
2013 – Punjab Continue Their Dominance
In 2013, however, Kings XI Punjab managed to hold on to their superiority over RCB by winning both the matches. Punjab enjoyed a first six-wicket win in Mohali before putting up another victory by seven wickets over Bengaluru. This was the 4th straight win by Punjab against RCB in 2 seasons (2013 and 2012). The balance of power, at this stage in the historic rivalry, was very decisively with Punjab.
2014 – Another Punjab Clean Sweep
Punjab maintained their perfect record against the Royal Challengers in 2014, winning their two meetings with them. Punjab had first knocked out Bangalore in Dubai by five wickets in their opening match before they thrashed them again in the second encounter, this time by 32 runs. The 2014 season was also a landmark campaign for Kings XI Punjab the franchise made their debut in an IPL Final. Their entire season was bolstered by their performances against RCB.
2015 – Chris Gayle Stars as RCB Win by 138 Runs
One of the all-time over results in RCB vs PBKS occurred in the 2015 season. RCB – 226/3 (Chris Gayle’s crucial role in Bengaluru Massive Total) Match done and dusted- Kings XI-Punjab lose by 138 runs. Eventually, Punjab were all out for a mere 88 runs. That 138-run win is one of RCB’s biggest wins over Punjab. This prompted Punjab to retort later in the season with a 22-run triumph at Mohali, leaving both sides with one win apiece for the season.
2016 – RCB Complete Another Double
In 2016, RCB beat Kings XI Punjab in both their earlier matches. Their first meeting was a genuine cliffhanger, Bengaluru scraping home by a single run at Mohali. Then an RCB side much more reminiscent of 2015 steamrolled their way to a comfortable 82-run win in Bengaluru. Virat Kohli had his best IPL season One individual battering feat which as memorable was when Virat Kohli put together one of the all-time best seasons with the bat in IPL history. Thanks to its two victories, RCB has solidified itself in the rivalry.
2017 – Punjab Respond
In 2017, Kings XI Punjab played RCB twice and won on both occasions. In their first meeting, Punjab won by eight wickets and then clinched the second matchup against Bengaluru with a 19-run victory. RCB’s struggle all season was Punjab’s gain whenever they faced them. And the scoreline of 2–0 reiterated just how quick the pendulum of this rivalry can swing from one season to another.
2018 – RCB Return With Two Wins
In 2018, RCB took control back and beat Kings XI Punjab in both the matches. They clinched the opening encounter of the double header by four wickets, two days later they triumphed by 10 wickets in a one-sided affair. The clean sweep was important as RCB had lost the previous season to Punjab 2-0. The outcome showcased an additional change in momentum.
2019 – RCB Continue Their Winning Run
In 2019, RCB once more went on to achieve a clean sweep of the points. In the tournament, Bengaluru had their first win against Punjab, whom they beat by eight wickets and later followed it with a 17-run win. These two wins meant RCB were unbeaten against Kings XI Punjab, having won all four of their encounters spread across the 2018 and 2019 seasons. This was amongst their best runs of the rivalry until Punjab wrested things back in 2020
.2020 – Punjab Dominate in the UAE
The 2020 IPL season took place in the United Arab Emirates, and Punjab registered two emphatic wins over RCB. Kings XI Punjab first slammed Bengaluru by 97 runs with captain KL Rahul leading the charge with the bat. The two teams met earlier in the competition, with Punjab taking victory by eight runs after a last-ball finish. The pair of results sealed an another clean sweep for Punjab, one that highlighted their renewal after RCB’s destruction in the two past seasons.
2021 – Another Split Result
The rivalry was even in 2021, with one win a piece for both teams. While Punjab Kings (PBKS) won the first battle by a margin of 34 runs, Bengaluru retaliated with a six-run win in the second meeting. Punjab’s earlier victory in the match kept their all-time head-to-head record with RCB closer after the latter’s narrow win.
2022 – Punjab Kings Win Both Matches
Again the advantage was for Punjab Kings, who emerged as winners in both matches against RCB. In the initial encounter, Punjab chased down 206 against Bengaluru making it 208/5 after RCB had posted 205/2. RCB’s Faf du Plessis scored 88 but the Punjab batting line-up finished it off. This season, Punjab managed to post 209/9 and beat RCB by 54 runs; with Liam Livingstone and Jonny Bairstow doing most of the damage. It was Punjab on the other end of that equation in this rivalry as a 2–0 season allowed for another advantage.
2023 – RCB Win the Only Meeting
RCB and LSG faced each other once in the IPL 2023 where RCB won by 24 runs. Bengaluru all-round display prevents Punjab overhauling mammoth chase With only one meeting scheduled between the sides that season, Bangalore took a 1–0 lead for the year.
2024 – RCB Complete a Clean Sweep
RCB were in top form again back in 2024, winning both of their matches against Punjab Kings. At first, Bengaluru pulled a close four-wicket win and then registered an emphatic 60-run success at Dharamsala. The second game was also high-scoring and had its main contributions coming from Virat Kohli. It was an important two wins for RCB, coming on the heels of Punjab’s 2-0 domination in 2022 and restoring Bengaluru to a slight advantage overall over their rivals.
2025 – RCB vs PBKS Rivalry Reaches the IPL Final
2025 Season – The 2025 season turned to be the biggest episode in the RCB vs PBKS timeline as, over the course of one season, both teams played each 4 times including playoffs and IPL Final. While Punjab Kings clinched the rain-hit first league game in Bengaluru, on their home ground they faced a seven-wicket defeat against RCB who also won by five wickets back. The teams then faced off in the second Qualifier, where RCB knocked out Punjab Kings by eight wickets to progress to the final. The most notable meeting took place on June 3, 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad where RCB won the final by six runs after posting a score of 190/9 and limiting Punjab Kings to 184/7.
.2026 – RCB Win the Latest Meeting
Their most recent clash between Punjab Kings and RCB happened on 17 May 2026 at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala. RCB batted first and set 222/4, with Venkatesh Iyer hitting an unbeaten 73 from 40 balls, while Virat Kohli (58 off -37) also chipped in with the bat. In response to the total, Punjab Kings began their chase with a punch back since Shashank Singh played an innings of 56 runs off 27 balls but they ended up finishing on 199/8 after all and lost the match. It essentially meant that RCB won the match by 23 runs. The win secured Bengaluru’s second crucial victory over Punjab since the 2025 season when they ended fine and took their overall head-to-head record with local rivals to 20 wins against Punjab’s 18
.Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Overall Timeline
The rivalry has evolved through the years across several distinct phases from 2008 to 2026. In the past, Punjab were dominant in their infancy period from 2012 to 2014, while RCB had a few successful seasons in 2016, 2018, 2019 and again starting from 2023. Because RCB locked horns four times, in the Qualifier 1 and IPL Final, the 2025 season was the decisive one. They achieved good results in three of these four matches, leading RCB to lift the trophy. In 2026, they got an even greater edge by winning against Punjab. In the larger context, across 38 IPL encounters RCB hold the head-to-head edge at 20–18.
.RCB vs PBKS Timeline Summary
| Season | RCB Wins | PBKS Wins | Season Result |
| 2008 | 0 | 2 | PBKS |
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | Level |
| 2010 | 2 | 0 | RCB |
| 2011 | 1 | 1 | Level |
| 2012 | 0 | 2 | PBKS |
| 2013 | 0 | 2 | PBKS |
| 2014 | 0 | 2 | PBKS |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | Level |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | RCB |
| 2017 | 0 | 2 | PBKS |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | RCB |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | RCB |
| 2020 | 0 | 2 | PBKS |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | Level |
| 2022 | 0 | 2 | PBKS |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | RCB |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | RCB |
| 2025 | 3 | 1 | RCB |
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | RCB |
Conclusion
The timeline for RCB vs PBKS in IPL has turned into an interesting rivalry over the years with quite a few thrilling results and memorable performances. Punjab had the stronger spells in their early and mid-eras, while RCB have improved considerably in more recent encounters. 2025 was the pinnacle of the rivalry as RCB smashed Punjab Kings in both Qualifier 1 and the IPL Final to secure their maiden IPL title. RCB later triumphed in the most recent clash, on 2026–10-06, extending its lifetime head-to-head lead to 20–18 after 38 matches
FAQs
When did RCB and Punjab Kings first play each other?
RCB and Punjab Kings, then known as Kings XI Punjab, first met during the inaugural IPL season in 2008.
Who has won more matches between RCB and PBKS?
As of the end of the 2026 IPL season, RCB lead the head-to-head record with 20 wins, while Punjab Kings have won 18 matches.
Who won the 2025 IPL Final?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Punjab Kings by six runs in the 2025 IPL Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Who won the latest RCB vs PBKS match?
RCB won the latest meeting by 23 runs in Dharamsala on May 17, 2026.
What is RCB’s biggest win over Punjab Kings?
RCB’s biggest victory against Punjab came in 2015, when they defeated Kings XI Punjab by 138 runs.
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