Romario Shepherd’s explosive 53 off 14 balls and his calm “ball-by-ball” approach sealed the deal for RCB in a last-ball thriller against CSK.*
Bengaluru, May 4:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Caribbean power-hitter Romario Shepherd delivered a masterclass in death-overs hitting, powering his side to a 2-run win over Chennai Super Kings at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in one of the most thrilling matches of IPL 2025. His unbeaten 53 off just 14 balls — the second-fastest fifty in IPL history — turned a good total into a daunting one and earned him the Player of the Match title.
Speaking after the match, Shepherd summed up his approach with a calm yet deadly phrase: “Kill them softly.”
Shepherd’s Storm: 33 Off One Over, 53 Off 14
Walking in with just two overs remaining and RCB reeling at 159/5, Shepherd obliterated Khaleel Ahmed for 33 runs in the 19th over — including multiple sixes that sent the Chinnaswamy crowd into a frenzy. He followed it up with 20 more runs off five balls from Matheesha Pathirana, finishing with a strike rate of 378.57.
“I wasn’t thinking about a score,” Shepherd revealed post-match.
“I was just focused ball by ball, trying to hit each one for four or six. Timmy (David) kept telling me to stay relaxed and hold my shape — that really helped.”
The Power Formula: Base, Swing, and Belief
When asked about the source of his power, Shepherd explained:
“It’s all in my base and the way I swing. If I stay balanced, the ball travels.”
He credited Dinesh Karthik, RCB’s mentor and batting coach, for helping the squad sharpen their finishing skills after a slow start to the tournament.
“In the first couple of games, we struggled as a batting unit. DK worked with us individually, and that’s paying off now,” he added.
With the Bat: Hero, With the Ball: A Learning Curve
Though a star with the bat, Shepherd struggled with the ball, conceding 18 runs in his only over, taken apart by CSK’s rising star Ayush Mhatre.
“I like to keep it 50-50. Today wasn’t my day with the ball, but Ngidi and Bhuvi pulled us through. That’s the beauty of a team effort,” Shepherd said.
The Bigger Picture: A Last-Ball Classic
RCB’s innings was built on strong starts from Virat Kohli (62) and Jacob Bethell (55) before Shepherd’s late burst took the total to 213/5.
In response, Chennai Super Kings mounted a gutsy chase, led by Ayush Mhatre’s explosive 94 and a calm, calculated 77 from Ravindra Jadeja*. Despite their efforts, CSK fell just one boundary short, finishing on 211/5 after a tense final over bowled by Yash Dayal.
Match Summary:
- RCB 213/5 (20 overs): Kohli 62, Bethell 55, Shepherd 53*
- CSK 211/5 (20 overs): Mhatre 94, Jadeja 77*
- Result: RCB won by 2 runs