The disastrous over from Khaleel was a turning point in a high-stakes encounter at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday
Khaleel Ahmed, Romario Shepherd (Pic: IPL/X)
Chennai Super Kings pacer Khaleel Ahmed will certainly want to forget the nightmare he endured during his side's IPL 2025 clash against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
In what became the most expensive over of the season, Ahmed was ruthlessly punished by RCB all-rounder Romario Shepherd, who unleashed a barrage of powerful hits, resulting in a staggering 33 runs conceded in the 19th over of the innings. This over alone contributed to a humiliating total of 65 runs from his three-over spell, making it the costliest bowling performance in IPL history.
UNREAL HITTING! 💪🔥#RomarioShepherd blitzkrieg hits Chinnaswamy! ⚡
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 3, 2025
He smashes a jaw-dropping 53 off just 14 balls,
equaling the 2nd fastest fifty in IPL history!
Worthy of this epic clash #Kohli vs #Dhoni - one last time? 🙌🏻
Watch the LIVE action in Haryanvi commentary ➡… pic.twitter.com/cOReV8qcPT
Romario Shepherd vs Khaleel Ahmed 19th Over Ball-By-Ball🔥🔥
— A (@cmmoncheeks) May 3, 2025
pic.twitter.com/ae5OLam5yS
The disastrous over from Khaleel was a turning point in a high-stakes encounter at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. Shepherd’s fireworks, which included a flurry of sixes and boundaries, completely turned the tide in RCB's favour, leaving the CSK pacer helpless. Ahmed's inability to rein in Shepherd's onslaught shattered CSK's hopes of containing RCB's late surge, and the damage done was impossible to recover from.
Earlier, a commanding performance by Virat Kohli (62) and Jacob Bethell (55) helped RCB to set a formidable target of 214. Kohli, in typical fashion, showcased his aggressive flair, smashing five sixes and as many fours, amassing 62 runs off just 33 balls. His innings was a perfect blend of timing and power, anchoring the RCB innings while laying the groundwork for the explosive finish that followed. Bethell, too, played a crucial role, contributing 55 runs off 33 balls, including eight boundaries and two sixes. The duo added a quickfire 97 runs for the opening wicket, putting CSK on the back foot early.
However, after a promising start, RCB's middle order, including Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, and Jitesh Sharma, struggled to capitalize, leaving the responsibility to the lower middle order. Enter Romario Shepherd, whose blistering 53* off just 14 balls ensured a grand finish for RCB. Shepherd's attack on Khaleel Ahmed, especially in the final overs, was relentless. His sixes and quick-fire runs turned the match on its head, taking RCB to a total that seemed out of CSK's reach.
Despite a valiant effort by CSK's Matheesha Pathirana, who returned figures of 3/36, RCB’s explosive finish proved too much for the Super Kings. The remarkable late surge, coupled with Khaleel's record-breaking spell, left CSK unable to stem the flow of runs, resulting in a massive total for RCB to defend.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bangalore – 213/5 in 20 overs (Jacob Bethell 55, Virat Kohli 62, Romario Shepherd 53*; Matheesha Pathirana 3/36) vs Chennai Super Kings
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