Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Romario Shepherd stated he sensed confusion in Khaleel Ahmed’s considering, which helped him execute his range-hitting plans successfully towards the Chennai Super Kings pacer within the dying overs.
Shepherd modified the course of the IPL match right here on Saturday (May 4, 2025) evening with a blistering unbeaten 14-ball 53 in RCB’s two-run win. It was the joint second-fastest fifty within the historical past of the league.
“To be honest, I was more focused on the bowler and what he was trying to do. When I hit the first two (sixes), I knew I had the bowler under pressure. I saw his body language. So I was like, okay, let me try and put him under some more pressure,” stated Shepherd within the post-match press convention.
“Then I saw him (Khaleel Ahmed), he was kind of confused. So, I know I had him. So, at that point, I just continue going,” he added.
The quickest fifty of the IPL was struck off simply 13 balls by Yashasvi Jaiswal in 2023, whereas each KL Rahul (2018) and Pat Cummins (2022) had additionally earlier made half-centuries off 14 balls.
Shepherd punished Ahmed for 33 runs within the nineteenth over and Matheesha Pathirana for 21 runs within the twentieth over as RCB raced 213 for 5 from 159 for 5 on the finish of the 18th over.
But the Guyanese cricketer stated he was not pre-meditating to hit all of the balls out of the park.
“When I walked in, I had an idea of what they were trying to bowl. So, I went out there, prepared for that. Then Timmy (Tim David) told me just to hold my shape a bit because the ball was creeping in the wicket. So my mindset automatically changed to just base up and watch the ball, hit in my areas and don’t try and swing before, swing too early,” he stated.
But how robust was it for him to return out within the seventeenth over and go hammer and tongs from ball one? “It wasn’t difficult watching them win, but, you know, for me, I wanted the opportunity to go there, and today presented that. But not saying that I was thinking of going there and hitting 53 of 14.
“But I was simply considering to try to get my group to a very good end and try to get the momentum again as a result of at one stage of the sport they (CSK) had the momentum going into the final two or three overs,” he added.
Shepherd got a taste of his own medicine when Ayush Mhatre and Ravindra Jadeja combined to cart him for 18 in his solitary over.
But that was not enough to make the 30-year-old repent on his own stunning assault on bowlers.
“Today wasn’t a very good day to really feel unhappy for bowlers as a result of myself went over 18,” he quipped.
“So on a very good wicket, on these small grounds, as a hitter and as a run-getter, I attempt to capitalise on no matter alternative presents itself. Whenever I get a possibility with a bat, I know that I should do my greatest to really get some type of efficiency in.
“It’s because, I know, with the ball it will be difficult because on these wickets and these types of batters, they hunt you, man. They hunt you,” he signed off.
Published – May 04, 2025 10:53 am IST
