'Lot of people from Punjab don't support us': Arshdeep Singh urges fans to root for PBKS against RCB in Qualifier 1
Punjab Kings are into the IPL playoffs for the first time since the 2014 tournament, a long 11 years of waiting for the right team, the right coach, and the right captain to come along to make them serious contenders again. And to boot, Punjab find themselves with the prospect of a home match to welcome them to the IPL 2025 playoffs, as they prepare to face off against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the New PCA Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. Arshdeep Singh has led the bowling effort for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025 with 18 wickets in 14 games in the league stage.(AFP)Punjab's players are attempting to weaponise that home advantage, and use it to turn the momentum against a vastly popular RCB team. Arshdeep Singh took to his social media to ask for fans to come support the team in force as they look to qualify for the IPL final for just the second time.Responding to a fan on Snapchat who said she was supporting Punjab from afar, Arshdeep said “Thank you for supporting us. You’re not Punjabi but you’re still supporting Punjab, whereas there are a lot of people who don’t support Punjab and have different favourite teams. I would like to urge them to support Punjab, their state, their team, and come in big numbers to see us win.”RCB with 7 out of 7 away wins so far…Punjab have never been the kind of team to attract fans en masse, due to a lack of success and an inability to hang on to their best players through the years. However, under the captaincy of a superstar in Shreyas Iyer and the presence of one of India’s truly elite fast bowlers in Arshdeep, now in his seventh year with PBKS, the environment around the team feels different.On the other hand, RCB have a massive fanbase countrywide due to the presence of a global superstar like Virat Kohli, as well as an identity formed through star players like Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers. There is even an expectation that there might be more RCB faithful than PBKS fans at the Mullanpur stadium. However, Arshdeep’s request is the latest in a bid from the Punjab management to try and make the most of a home-field advantage.Both teams are gunning for a first-ever IPL trophy, and there is a lot on the line in this qualifier one contest in terms of reaching the final. This would be RCB’s first since 2016, and since 2014 for PBKS. Whether Arshdeep’s urging of fans to turn up in Mullanpur successfully upsets the rhythm of an RCB team that has had a historic perfect record in away games remains to be seen.
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