New Delhi: Jofra Archer Sets Unwanted Record in IPL History
Jofra Archer of the Rajasthan Royals encountered a historic low during the match against the Gujarat Titans on May 9, as he bowled an unprecedented 11 deliveries in the first over. This occurrence took place at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium where the Royals opted to bowl first.
Archer’s performance in the opening over was marked by inaccuracy, allowing 18 runs to be scored against him. His over included four wides and one no-ball. The first delivery was hit for a boundary by Sai Sudharsan, followed by a wide. After a dot ball, Archer overstepped, delivering a no-ball, which allowed five additional runs due to another wide. He then conceded two more wides before settling down to give away only four runs from the remaining deliveries.
This 11-ball over not only broke the record for the longest first over in IPL history but also tied with a record of the longest over overall in the league’s competition. Previously, the record for the longest opening over was held by Shamar Joseph, who bowled 10 balls in his initial over against the Lucknow Super Giants during IPL 2024. Archer now joins a group of bowlers—including Mohammed Siraj, Tushar Deshpande, Shardul Thakur, Sandeep Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh—who have all bowled 11-ball overs in the league.
Longest Overs Bowled in IPL:
- 11 – Mohammed Siraj vs. MI, Bengaluru, 2023 (Over #19)
- 11 – Tushar Deshpande vs. LSG, Chennai, 2023 (Over #4)
- 11 – Shardul Thakur vs. KKR, Kolkata, 2025 (Over #13)
- 11 – Sandeep Sharma vs. DC, Delhi, 2025 (Over #20)
- 11 – Hardik Pandya vs. GT, Wankhede, 2025 (Over #8)
- 11 – Arshdeep Singh vs. GT, Mullanpur, 2026 (Over #20)
- 11 – Jofra Archer vs. GT, Jaipur, 2026 (Over #1)
In addition to Archer’s missteps, the Rajasthan Royals were without their regular captain, Riyan Parag, who was sidelined due to a hamstring injury. Yashasvi Jaiswal stepped up to lead the team in Parag’s absence. At the toss, Jaiswal remarked, “We are going to bowl first. I think the wicket is pretty good, and we want to chase it. Riyan pulled his hamstring last game, so I feel he’ll be coming back soon.” The Royals also made changes to their lineup, with Shimron Hetmyer and Ravi Bishnoi missing out on this match.
