RCB seemed to be playing themselves into a hole despite a 97-run opening stand between Jacob Bethell and Virat Kohli, who both brought up excellent half-centuries
RCB’s Romario Shepherd smashes one during his unbeaten 53 vs CSK on Saturday. PIC/Getty Images
In his maiden season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Romario Shepherd hadn’t faced a ball in three previous outings in IPL 2025. On Saturday night at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, he finally got a hit, and made it count with the joint second-fastest IPL half-century of all time (in 14 deliveries).
The 30-year-old Guyanese not just resurrected a flagging RCB innings but turbocharged it to a sensational finish, accounting for a majority of the 54 runs that came in the last two overs as the home side pulverised Chennai Super Kings to the tune of 213 for five after having been put in by MS Dhoni.
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RCB seemed to be playing themselves into a hole despite a 97-run opening stand between Jacob Bethell and Virat Kohli, who both brought up excellent half-centuries. In the middle stages, they were undone by Matheesha Pathirana, the Sri Lankan slinger who finally came into his own after a series of iffy outings. From 71 without loss at the end of the Powerplay, the home side had lost five for 88 in the next 12 overs when Dhoni turned to Khaleel Ahmed, the left-arm quick who had gone for 32 in his first two overs, to bowl the 19th. Shepherd lay into Khaleel with gusto in an over that yielded 33 runs, inclusive of four sixes and two fours.
Khaleel finished with unflattering figures of none for 65 from three overs, but Shepherd wasn’t done yet. Pathirana, who was in the middle of his best spell of the season, conceded 21 in the 20th over, Shepherd hammering the last two deliveries to different parts of the ground for six numbers five and six respectively. Only Yashasvi Jaiswal (13 balls) has got to an IPL fifty faster; with his sensational assault that thrilled a slightly pensive home crowd no end, Shepherd drew abreast of KL Rahul and Pat Cummins, who both also boast 14-ball fifties.
The late flourish from the Guyanese complemented the Bethell-Kohli opening salvo and also gave the home side, missing pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood with a shoulder niggle, the extra cushion they desired as they continue their quest for a place in the Playoffs.
In the evening, the left-handed Bethell, filling in again for unwell English compatriot Phil Salt, did the early running before Kohli came into his own with spectacular shot-making as he went past Sai Sudharsan and grabbed the Orange Cap, at least for the time being, with his seventh half-century of the season, which was also fourth successive effort of more than 50.
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