Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) opener Jacob Bethell shared his thoughts after witnessing a dramatic performance from right-handed batter Romario Shepherd during the closing overs of the first innings against the five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. With just two overs remaining, Shepherd showcased his power by hitting consecutive sixes. Luck was on his side when the third ball edged off the bat and raced to the boundary for a four.
The explosive Caribbean player made a significant impact on the bowlers, particularly Khaleel, by launching two sixes in succession. A no-ball on the fourth delivery left Khaleel scrambling for answers, but he managed to deliver a dot ball on the fifth. However, a four on the final ball resulted in RCB racking up 33 runs from that over.
In the last over, Pathirana attempted to limit Shepherd’s scoring, but the West Indies power hitter responded by striking a four and then a six, achieving a staggering 50-run partnership in just 15 balls. He capped off his innings by sending the last ball into the third tier, finishing with an unbeaten 53 runs off 14 balls as RCB reached a total of 213/5.
Reflecting on Shepherd’s performance, Bethell remarked during the mid-innings interview, “It was quite astonishing to see Shepherd’s knock. Although I don’t think he connected perfectly with many balls, he was still hitting them two tiers out, which illustrates his strength. It was great to see that, and having Tim David at the other end with such power is really exciting. Our discussions were focused on maintaining our aggression and adapting to the situation. I noticed the pitch wasn’t bouncing as much; I haven’t batted on it this season.”
Bethell also discussed the exchanges he had with Virat Kohli while they batted together during the first innings. The duo formed an impressive opening partnership, scoring 97 runs off 59 balls, with both Bethell (55) and Kohli (62) notching up half-centuries.
He added, “Virat mentioned that it was a slightly better wicket with the new ball. It felt nice to bat on; there was minimal swing, which made things easier. Batting alongside Kohli is amazing, even in Delhi. Matching his intensity is key, and today was wonderful to share more time with him. When I left the field, I thought we could have reached 210, so I’m pleased with scoring three more than that. There was a bit of a hiccup in the middle, and I hope our spinners can impose some pressure during the middle overs. However, for Romario to come out and perform like that has really set us up with a fantastic total,” the left-handed batter concluded.
