England fast bowler Jofra Archer was never your average bowler. So you would not expect him to have an uneventful day in the office.
The Rajasthan Royals right-arm pacer roared back into form by bowling a wicket maiden in his first over of a terrific spell against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday which laid the foundation of a tense win for his team and repaid the faith put in him by the management despite a disastrous start to the season.
This year's IPL has been one of extremes for the Rajasthan quick. Archer has had a stop start career in the league ever since multiple injuries derailed his once meteoric rise as the foremost fast bowler in the world. The last time he played an entire season of IPL was 2020, missing three entire seasons since then and playing just five matches in 2023.
With a non existent record in recent IPL, Rajasthan took a big gamble by pledging $1.5 million for his services during the player auction late last year.
The decision seemed to have backfired early on as Archer was taken apart in his first outing of the season on a flat deck in Hyderabad. The 29-year-old recorded the most expensive spell in IPL history as he was hit for 76 in his four overs by a merciless Sunrisers side.
Archer was handed a big jolt first up by the marauding Travis Head, Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen, with Head hitting a six and four fours in his first over that went for 23.
It was a forgettable day for Archer and Rajasthan as Sunrisers recorded the second highest score in IPL history – 286.
There was more punishment waiting for Archer in his second match against title holders Kolkata Knight Riders, going for 33 runs in a two-and-a-half overs of a one-sided contest in Guwahati.
But there was not going to be a 'three-peat'. Defending 183 against Chennai in their second home ground in Guwahati, Archer produced a spell for the ages as he set the tone for the match and possibly the tournament.
Producing considerable seam movement and carry, Archer had in-form batter Rachin Ravindra on his toes, forcing the southpaw to edge a fast rising delivery behind off the fourth ball.
Archer had his tail up the entire evening, bowling a maiden first up and conceding just one in his next over. It was the first maiden over of IPL 2025.
Archer had figures of 1-13 from his three overs and could have finished his spell with more than one wicket.
For some reason, stand-in captain Riyan Parag did not bowl him in the death overs when Chennai were edging close to victory with MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. The more expensive Sandeep Sharma and Tushar Deshpande were pressed into action, and the two somehow got the job done for a six-run win.
Maybe this is the way forward for Archer and Rajasthan – use his best form up front and knock the wind out of the powerplay overs; Chennai were just 42-1 after six overs on Sunday.
Archer would feel that given his new-found form, he should be used during the death overs as well. And he can't possibly bowl worse than Deshpande, who was smashed for two sixes and a four even when he had a cushion of 39 runs to defend in 12 balls against the Super Kings.
For now, Rajasthan and England will be happy to have their premier fast bowler closer to his peak form. If he can get through the season without any fitness issues, Archer will have batsmen ducking for cover.
And with the T20 World Cup also in India early next year, Archer has sent out a warning to all about what is in store.
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Usain Bolt's World Championships record
2007 Osaka
200m Silver
4x100m relay Silver
2009 Berlin
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2011 Daegu
100m Disqualified in final for false start
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2013 Moscow
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2015 Beijing
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
The biog
From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
