IPL 2025: Archer Surprised by First-Ball Wicket in Rajasthan Royals' Victory

 New Chandigarh(The Uttam Hindu):  Jofra Archer played a pivotal role in Rajasthan Royals' 50-run victory over Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, with the fast bowler stating that his first-ball wicket was crucial in giving the team an early advantage and lifting the energy on the field. In his previous outings against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders, Archer struggled, conceding 76 and 33 runs respectively without taking a wicket. However, he redeemed himself with a standout performance, taking 1-13 in RR's victory over Chennai Super Kings at Guwahati.

On Saturday in Mullanpur, Archer was in superb form, claiming two key wickets in his opening over, dismissing Priyansh Arya and Shreyas Iyer with deliveries clocking over 145 km/h. He later returned to remove Arshdeep Singh, finishing with impressive figures of 3-25, helping RR dominate PBKS. “Honestly, I didn’t expect to get a wicket on the first ball. I was aiming for some swing, but it didn’t move as much. Nevertheless, I’m happy to get the breakthrough early, which set the tone for the team,” Archer said in a video chat with Yashasvi Jaiswal on iplt20.com.

Archer also spoke about his plans to bowl a bouncer to Arshdeep Singh but eventually deceiving him with a half-volley, explaining, “When I was running in, he backed away slightly, so I just decided to bowl at the stumps.” Jaiswal, who contributed with a brilliant knock of 67 off 45 balls, emphasized the importance of staying calm under pressure, noting, "It was crucial for me to keep moving forward and embrace the pressure. I had to keep pushing myself to get past each challenge.