In a high-voltage clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched a narrow two-run win over Chennai Super Kings to move to the top of the IPL 2025 points table with 16 points from 11 games.
Batting first, RCB posted a formidable total of 214 runs, fueled by standout performances from Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, and Romario Shepherd.
Kohli smashed a fiery 62 off 33 balls, peppering the ground with five sixes and five boundaries. Bethell, opening alongside Kohli, added a fluent 55 off 33 deliveries, including eight fours and two sixes. The pair stitched together a 97-run partnership to lay the foundation.
However, it was Romario Shepherd who stole the show at the death. With a blistering unbeaten 53 off just 14 balls, including six towering sixes, Shepherd amassed 33 runs in the penultimate over bowled by Khaleel Ahmed and equaled the record for the second-fastest fifty in IPL history.
Chasing 215, CSK mounted a fierce comeback, led by Ayush Mhatre’s explosive 94 off 48 balls and a composed unbeaten 77 off 45 from Ravindra Jadeja. Despite their efforts, CSK fell just short, failing to capitalize in the final overs.
The result further cements RCB’s strong playoff push, while CSK will rue the missed opportunity in a match that went down to the wire.
