Jofra Archer produced a devastating spell with the new ball as Rajasthan Royals ripped through the SunRisers Hyderabad top order in the IPL 2026 Eliminator at the New Chandigarh Stadium on Wednesday. The England speedster delivered one of the most destructive powerplay spells of the season, dismissing Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Travis Head to put SRH under massive pressure in their daunting chase of 244 runs.
Archer struck first by removing Abhishek Sharma for a two-ball duck before dismissing the dangerous Ishan Kishan, who had smashed 33 runs off just 11 deliveries. However, his biggest moment came against Travis Head.
Bowling at close to 150 kmph in the fifth over, Archer unleashed a fiery full-length delivery that completely outpaced the Australian opener. Head backed away looking to create room for a big shot through the off side, but exposed his stumps in the process. The left-hander was beaten all ends up as the ball crashed into the top of off stump and uprooted it spectacularly.
WATCH – Dhruv Jurel Falls Right After Explosive Fifty As Praful Hinge Strikes Back
According to Cricbuzz, it marked the fourth time Jofra Archer has dismissed Head in T20 cricket, continuing a one-sided rivalry between the two explosive players. Head’s struggles in IPL knockout matches also continued. The Australian batter had previously registered two ducks in the 2024 playoffs for Kolkata Knight Riders, including the final, and managed only 34 runs against Rajasthan Royals in another knockout clash.
Bowled ’em! 🔥
Jofra Archer strikes as Travis Head departs early, and #SRH are in deep trouble in this must-win clash 😮💨#TATAIPL 2026 Eliminator 👉 #SRHvRR | LIVE NOW 👉https://t.co/AsF9BnOMCE pic.twitter.com/RAEXQ0WmL7
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 27, 2026
Archer’s sensational spell completely dismantled the SRH batting order inside the powerplay. Rajasthan Royals reduced Hyderabad to 57/4 before further tightening their grip on the match. Nandre Burger and Yash Raj Punja also chipped in with wickets as SRH slipped to 87/5 after 7.1 overs.
Earlier in the evening, teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stole the spotlight with a breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls. The 15-year-old hammered 12 sixes and five boundaries to power Rajasthan Royals towards a massive total.
ALSO READ: Fans Go Wild As Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Smashes Explosive 97 In IPL 2026 Eliminator
Dhruv Jurel added a blistering 50 off 21 deliveries, while Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Riyan Parag contributed useful cameos. Although RR slowed down in the final overs, they still posted an imposing total that left SRH with a mountain to climb. A victory would move Rajasthan Royals into Qualifier 2 as they continue their pursuit of a second IPL title.
