Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Romario Shepherd breathed fire with the bat and cracked the joint second fastest fifty in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) in the clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the M Chinnaswamy stadium on May 3.
Romario Shepherd runs riot with 14-ball 53
Romario Shepherd took just 14 balls to race to the fifty-run mark. He tonked six sixes and four boundaries in his blistering 14-ball 53 to help RCB post a colossal total of 213/5 against CSK.
Entering the fray with the RCB positioned at 157 for 5 in the 18th over, the West Indian all-rounder proceeded to unleash a breathtaking exhibition of powerful and precise hitting, completely shifting the momentum of the match. Shepherd launched a relentless assault on the Chennai Super Kings' bowling attack, with Khaleel Ahmed bearing the brunt of his aggression. The 19th over proved particularly costly, as Shepherd plundered 33 runs off Ahmed's bowling, making it the most expensive over of the 2025 season and the joint third-most expensive over in the entire history of the IPL. In a remarkable display of aggressive batting, he reached his maiden IPL half-century in a mere 14 deliveries. This blistering knock equals the second-fastest fifty in the league's history, a record he now shares with KL Rahul (2018) and Pat Cummins (2022). The fastest fifty in IPL history remains with Yashasvi Jaiswal, who achieved the milestone in just 13 balls back in 2023.
Fastest fifties in IPL:
Yashasvi Jaiswal - 13 balls (Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders), 2023
KL Rahul - 14 balls (Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals), 2018
Pat Cummins - 14 balls (Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians), 2022
Romario Shepherd - 14 balls (Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings), 2025
Earlier in the innings, RCB started strong, courtesy of a quickfire 55 runs from their opening batsman, Jacob Bethell, and a smooth 66-run contribution from Virat Kohli. However, Chennai Super Kings managed to regain control during the middle overs, with effective spells from Noor Ahmad and Matheesha Pathirana. They successfully applied pressure on the RCB batsmen on a pitch that gradually began to slow down and offer more grip to the bowlers. Just when it appeared that the momentum had swung in Chennai's favor, Shepherd's explosive display of power hitting dramatically altered the course of the game once again.