Rajasthan Royals’ pace ace Jofra Archer believes his fiery first-ball breakthrough set the perfect tone for their commanding 50-run win over Punjab Kings in IPL 2025. Bowling with raw pace and purpose, Archer dismantled PBKS right from the outset and reignited his campaign after a lukewarm start to the season.
Archer had struggled in previous games, leaking 76 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad and going wicketless against Kolkata Knight Riders. But he turned a corner with an economical 1 for 13 spell against CSK, and followed it up with a vintage performance in Mullanpur. His 3 for 25 included a thunderous first over where he cleaned up Priyansh Arya and Shreyas Iyer with deliveries clocking over 145 kmph. He returned at the death to remove Arshdeep Singh, wrapping up PBKS’s innings with precision.
WATCH – MS Dhoni on Retirement Talks: “It’s My Body That Will Decide, Not Me”
Speaking to teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal on iplt20.com, Jofra Archer said, “I thought if I could give the team a solid start, the pressure would keep building from the other end too. I didn’t expect the ball to swing as much, but getting a wicket on the first ball really lifted the energy for everyone on the field.”
Jaiswal, who contributed a crucial 67 off 45 balls to help RR post over 200, quizzed Archer about his clever dismissal of Arshdeep. Archer revealed, “Yeah, I was going for the bluff. He tends to back away, so I just aimed at the stumps instead of bowling the bouncer.”
ALSO READ: Stephen Fleming Unaware of Ashwin’s YouTube Channel Amid CSK Criticism
Reflecting on his own return to form, Jaiswal said, “It was important for me to step up and enjoy the pressure. In this format, you always need to climb that next mountain.”
With Archer’s rhythm back and Jaiswal firing again, Rajasthan Royals look like a rejuvenated unit eyeing the top spots in IPL 2025.
