Chandigarh, Apr 5 (Reporter) Punjab Kings won the toss and opted to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals in the 18th match of the IPL 2025 match at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium here on Saturday. Shreyas Iyer, leading Punjab, said the decision was based on familiarity with the surface and a desire to maintain momentum from earlier games. "We'll bowl first. Looking at the last game, we were playing on a new wicket and we want to see how the pitch plays. Same mindset here as well," said Iyer at the toss. "We have the mindset of champions. The boys are in high spirits." Punjab fielded an unchanged XI, signalling their intent to back consistency. The side included key names such as Prabhsimran Singh, Glenn Maxwell, and Yuzvendra Chahal, with Marco Jansen and Lockie Ferguson leading the pace attack. Rajasthan, led by Sanju Samson, were forced into one change, with Yudhvir Singh Charak replacing the injured Tushar Deshpande. Samson, who returns to the starting XI after featuring as an impact substitute in the previous match, was content to set a target. "Pretty happy to bat first and put on a decent total," said Samson. Reflecting on his stint as a substitute, he added, "I could feel what the coaches would be going through — a bit restless and helpless. But excited to be back now." Rajasthan’s lineup featured an explosive top order including Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana, with overseas firepower from Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga and Jofra Archer. Both teams are eyeing a crucial win in what promises to be a tightly contested fixture...////...