Jofra Archer delivered a wide ranging efficiency with the ball in Match 18 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, leaving Punjab Kings (PBKS) reeling early of their chase towards Rajasthan Royals (RR) on the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Worldwide Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. The English speedster’s fiery spell noticed him dismantle the stumps of PBKS openers Priyansh Arya and captain Shreyas Iyer, setting the tone for an exhilarating encounter beneath the lights.
Jofra Archer’s explosive begin rocks PBKS
The match started with excessive anticipation as PBKS, opting to bowl first after successful the toss, restricted RR to a formidable 205/4, due to stable contributions from Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and a late flourish by Riyan Parag. Nonetheless, it was Archer who stole the highlight when RR took the sector. In his very first over, he despatched Priyansh’s stumps cartwheeling with a searing yorker, dismissing the opener for a duck on the primary ball. The gang erupted because the replay showcased Archer’s uncooked tempo and precision.
Not content material with one scalp, Archer struck once more in the identical spell, this time focusing on PBKS skipper Iyer. After Iyer managed a few boundaries to settle in, Archer unleashed a thunderbolt that crashed into the stumps, ending Iyer’s temporary resistance. The dual blows left PBKS at 3 down contained in the powerplay, with Archer’s tempo proving an excessive amount of for the house facet’s high order.
Right here is the video:
Archer on 🎯
Jofra Archer’s double timber-strike provides #RR a dream begin 💥
Updates ▶ https://t.co/kjdEJydDWe#TATAIPL | #PBKSvRR | @JofraArcher | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/CfLjvlCC6L
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 5, 2025
Additionally WATCH: Sanju Samson goes furious after shedding his wicket to Lockie Ferguson throughout PBKS vs RR sport in IPL 2025
RR’s dominance and PBKS’s struggles
Archer’s heroics had been complemented by Sandeep Sharma, who dismissed Marcus Stoinis for simply 1, caught and bowled, additional deepening PBKS’s woes.
In the meantime, RR’s whole of 205/4 was constructed on a powerful basis laid by Samson (38) and Jaiswal, with Parag’s late fireworks and Dhruv Jurel’s cameo within the remaining over pushing the rating previous the 200-mark.