Romario Shepherd’s variations, role as finisher pivotal

ROMARIO Shepherd is starting to come into his own and is certainly one of the most improved T20 cricketers in the West Indies.

The medium pacer has added variations to his bowling, using the slower ball. He is also known for bowling out of the reach of batsmen, but not too wide to concede an extra run.

Shepherd, along with Andre Russell, will have to bowl a few overs in support of other pacers Alzarri Joseph, Obed McCoy and Shamar Joseph.

Shepherd, although his time in the middle was limited, gained valuable experience with the Mumbai Indians in the 2024 Indian Premier League.

A strongly built player, Shepherd has shown signs that he can be a dangerous batsman as he can clear the boundary. In one innings on April 7, Shepherd cracked 39 not out off only ten deliveries for Mumbai. The knock included three fours and four sixes.

Shepherd struck 32 runs off fast bowler Anrich Nortje in the final over of the innings to guide Mumbai to a massive total of 234/5. He belted two fours and four sixes in the over.

The knock of 39 not out should not have come as a surprise, as he has shown glimpses that he can destroy bowlers at the international level.

In a match against England in January 2022, Shepherd belted 44 not out to help West Indies to an almost miraculous win. West Indies were limping on 98/8 after 15.1 overs chasing 172, before Shepherd and Akeal Hosein joined forces. Shepherd’s knock came off just 28 balls with one four and five sixes, but West Indies lost by one run.

When Shepherd puts on the maroon shirt he has delivered, as his statistics are solid. In the batting department, he has an average of 28.58 in 21 innings, which is creditable, considering he bats in the middle or lower order. He often comes out to bat with just a few overs remaining, with little time to settle down.

His strike rate is a healthy 151.10, and can help West Indies post massive totals in the tournament.

Russell will play a pivotal role in the last five overs of the West Indies innings, but if he fails, Shepherd will be waiting to fill that void as a finisher.

Since Dwayne Bravo retired, the West Indies are missing a wicket-taking medium pacer. Shepherd has demonstrated he can fill that role. He concedes more than ten runs an over in T20 Internationals, but he has a knack for taking wickets, with 38 scalps in 33 innings.

His best match for West Indies with the ball was in August 2023, when he took 4/31 in four overs against India in Lauderhill, Florida.