IPL 2026: Archer rocks LSG as Rajasthan Royals win by 40 runs

Jofra Archer took three wickets in Rajasthan Royals’ brilliant bowling performance as they beat the struggling Lucknow Super Giants by 40 runs.

Chasing just 160, Lucknow were bowled out for 119 as Archer finished with 3-20 and fellow seamers Brijesh Sharma and Nandre Burger also took two wickets each.

Lucknow’s chase started dreadfully as they slipped to 11-3 with Ayush Badoni, captain Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram all making ducks.

Australia’s Mitchell Marsh made 55 as they attempted to rebuild but his departure saw them fall to 105-6, and that left too much for the lower order as they lost their last five wickets for 14 runs.

The batting effort was unfortunate for Lucknow’s bowlers, who produced a fine display of their own to restrict Rajasthan to 159-6.

Their explosive top order of Yashasvi Jaiswal, teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel all fell cheaply to expose a middle order which has not been needed very often in the tournament so far.

But Ravindra Jadeja’s experience proved the difference, as he finished unbeaten on 43 from 29 balls to rescue the innings from 110-6 with impact player Shubham Dubey also making 19 not out.

Rajasthan remain second in the table while Lucknow are seventh with just two wins in seven games. (BBC)