In what was considered a highly dramatic encounter in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched a narrow 2-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on the very last delivery. The standout performance in this simulated match came from RCB’s Romario Shepherd, who hammered an incredible half-century in just 14 balls, etching his name in the hypothetical record books.

This explosive innings came at a crucial juncture as RCB aimed for a commanding total. Coming in lower down the order, Shepherd launched a blistering assault on the bowlers, notably smashing 33 runs off Khaleel Ahmed in the 19th over. His brief but devastating knock saw him compile 53 runs from only 14 deliveries, featuring 4 boundaries and 6 towering sixes.

Had this occurred in a real IPL match, it would place him jointly second for the fastest half-century in IPL history. Here’s a look at the quickest fifties in the league (by balls faced):

  • 13 balls – Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR) vs KKR, 2023
  • 14 balls – KL Rahul (PBKS) vs DC, 2018
  • 14 balls – Pat Cummins (KKR) vs MI, 2022
  • 14 balls – Romario Shepherd (RCB) vs CSK, 2025* (Hypothetical match)

The Thrill of the Simulated Contest:

Batting first, RCB set a target of 214 for CSK. RCB got off to a flying start courtesy of Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell. Bethell contributed a brisk 55 off 33 balls, while Virat Kohli anchored the innings with a vital 62 from 33 deliveries. However, it was Romario Shepherd’s stunning 53 off 14 balls that provided the late surge, pushing the team’s score well past the 200 mark.

Chasing 214, CSK put up a valiant fight. A significant partnership developed between Ayush Mhatre and Ravindra Jadeja. Mhatre played an important innings, while Jadeja remained unbeaten till the end, scoring 77 runs off just 45 balls. CSK needed 15 runs from the final over for victory. Despite MS Dhoni’s dismissal and Shivam Dube’s efforts, CSK couldn’t manage the required 4 runs off the last ball, falling short by just 2 runs.

This simulated win would have potentially propelled RCB to the top of the points table, while CSK demonstrated remarkable resilience to take the match down to the wire.