Jofra Archer kept Rajasthan Royals in the hunt for playoffs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the Englishman delivered with both bat and ball against Mumbai Indians in their final group-stage clash on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium. A win against already-eliminated Mumbai Indians would help Rajasthan Royals seal the last spot in the playoffs.
Batting first, Rajasthan Royal were certainly in a spot of bother, losing five wickets with just 119 runs on the board. But a late onslaught by Archer with the bat helped Rajasthan Royals add 73 runs in the last five overs to stage a late comeback after their specialist batters cut a sorry figure.
Archer smacked three sixes and a four to collect 32 off 15 balls while veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, coming down at No 9, hit three boundaries in the last two overs to push the total beyond the 200-run mark. The Riyan Parag-led side eventually settled for 205/8 in 20 overs.
With the ball, Archer produced just what the doctor ordered. After three dot balls, Archer made Rohit Sharma play the wrong line as the former Mumbai Indians skipper got an outside edge to walk back for a four-ball duck in the first over itself. The right-arm pacer delivered once again by cleaning up Naman Dhir as Mumbai Indians lost two wickets in the first three overs.
Rohit Sharma's unwanted record
In the process, Rohit went on level with Australian Glenn Maxwell for most ducks in in the history of IPL. Both Rohit and Maxwell have 19 ducks to their names each, followed by Dinesh Karthik and West Indies' spinner Sunil Narine - 18 each. Piyush Chawla and Afghanistan's Rashid Khan have 16 ducks each to their names.
In the process, Rohit finished his IPL 2026 campaign with 283 runs from nine games that included two fifties and a best of 84. He had missed the rest due to injuries. Meanwhile, Archer's two wickets so far in the game have also brought him in the top four of the IPL 2026 Purple Cap with 20 scalps.
What's at stake for Rajasthan Royals?
With Mumbai Indians already out of the race, this is a must-win game for Rajasthan Royals. Placed fifth in the points table with 14 points in 13 games, a win for Rajasthan Royals would help them qualify the playoffs with 16 points and knock out Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
In case, Rajasthan Royals lose against Mumbai Indians, it will be between KKR and Punjab Kings for that one last spot in the top four. Punjab Kings have 15 points after 14 games. KKR need to win against Delhi Capitals to match Punjab Kings on points and let net run rate decide their fate.
Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.
