IPL 2026 got off to a rocky start for Rajasthan Royals' star pacer Jofra Archer, who endured a nightmare first over against Gujarat Titans that landed him in the unwanted IPL record books. The speedster's struggles with line and rhythm resulted in an 11-ball over, conceding 18 runs and equaling the record for the longest over in IPL history.
Archer now shares this dubious distinction with bowlers like Mohammed Siraj, Tushar Deshpande, Shardul Thakur, Sandeep Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh, all of whom have previously bowled 11-ball overs in the tournament. For a bowler of Archer's caliber—known for his lethal yorkers and blistering pace—this performance was a far cry from the explosive starts fans have come to expect.
The over was a rollercoaster of mishaps. It began promisingly enough, but quickly unraveled into a series of wides, a no-ball, and fielding lapses that left the Royals dugout tense. Here's how the dramatic over unfolded:
Ball 0.1: Archer started with a short, wide delivery outside off stump. Sai Sudharsan punished it immediately, slashing the ball over point for a boundary to get off the mark in style.
Ball 0.2: A wide outside off as the delivery shaped away sharply. Sudharsan threw his bat at it but failed to connect.
Ball 0.2 (legal delivery): Archer bowled a short-of-length ball outside off that moved away. Sudharsan guided it toward backward point but couldn't score.
Ball 0.3: Things went from bad to worse as Archer overstepped by a huge margin, bowling a no-ball. Sudharsan steered the back-of-length delivery toward backward point, where sloppy fielding allowed a single. Gujarat Titans also earned a free hit.
Ball 0.3 (free hit): Archer sprayed the ball far down the leg side. Shubman Gill missed the flick, and the ball raced away to the boundary for five wides.
Ball 0.3 again: Another wide down the leg side as Archer continued to struggle with control.
Ball 0.3 again: Yet another wide followed, making it three consecutive wides. The free hit continued while the Royals dugout looked increasingly tense.
Ball 0.3 (legal delivery): Archer finally bowled a legal delivery, but by then the damage was done.
For Rajasthan Royals, this was not the start they envisioned from their premier pacer. For fans and fantasy league players alike, Archer's horror over serves as a reminder that even the best can have off days. As the IPL 2026 season unfolds, all eyes will be on Archer to see if he can bounce back and reclaim his form—because when he's on, there are few bowlers more devastating in the game.