Rajasthan Royals pacer Jofra Archer (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals pacer Jofra Archer etched his name into the Indian Premier League (IPL) history books for the wrong reasons as he delivered the most expensive spell in the tournament’s history during his side’s 2025 season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.
The English speedster was hammered for a staggering 76 runs in his four-over spell at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Archer’s forgettable performance broke the previous record held by Mohit Sharma, who conceded 73 runs in four overs for Gujarat Titans against Delhi Capitals in 2024. Before that, Basil Thampi had given away 70 runs in his spell for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018. Archer now tops the unenviable list of the most expensive spells in IPL history.
The disastrous outing began right from Archer’s first over during the PowerPlay, where Travis Head took charge and smashed the bowler for 23 runs. The onslaught included four boundaries and a towering six, setting the tone for what would become a historic drubbing.
Most expensive bowling returns in IPL

Archer’s subsequent overs fared no better, as Sunrisers Hyderabad’s batters displayed relentless aggression. By the end of his quota, Archer had leaked 76 runs without taking a single wicket. This record-breaking spell left the Royals reeling, as they failed to contain the explosive batting display from the hosts.
Sunrisers Hyderabad continued their ruthless assault, amassing a mammoth total of 286 for 6 in 20 overs. This became the second-highest team total in IPL history, only behind their own record of 287 for 3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2024.
Ishan Kishan led the charge with a blistering century off just 45 deliveries, while Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Heinrich Klaasen contributed with quickfire knocks, following the same aggressive template.
The Royals’ bowling unit had no answers to the SRH batting onslaught. Apart from Tushar Deshpande, who managed to concede less than 50 runs in his full quota, the rest of the bowlers faced a merciless assault.