England pacer Jofra Archer had a nightmare comeback to the Indian Premier League (IPL), giving away 76 runs in four overs  the costliest bowling spell in the history of the tournament. Playing for Rajasthan Royals in his first IPL game since 2023, Archer's return was tainted by a Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) onslaught, who scored a record 286/6, one run shy of the all-time IPL record of 287.

The worst IPL bowling figures were previously held by Mohit Sharma, who conceded 73 runs in 2024. Archer now leads that unhappy list after being dismantled for 10 fours and 4 sixes in his four overs on a thumping Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium wicket in Hyderabad.

How Archer's Four Overs Unfolded

1st Over (Over 5 of the match): Archer's IPL 2025 started badly as Travis Head blasted 23 runs off the over, four boundaries, and one six. Only a solitary dot ball gave the bowler any relief.

2nd Over: Matters stabilized slightly but continued to leak runs. Nitish Reddy punched two sharp boundaries as Archer cost 12.

3rd Over: Ishan Kishan arrived at the party, hitting three sixes on his way to a merciless hundred. The over-hemorrhaged 22 runs.

4th Over: Archer's last over described his spell five from the no-ball, three fours by Heinrich Klaasen, and one final four by Kishan added up to the over's total of 23, clinching his unwanted mark of 0/76.

Sunrisers Dominate with the Bat

SRH resumed their batting massacre, and Ishan Kishan did it with a blistering 106 not out off just 47 balls on his debut for the franchise. Travis Head (67 off 31) provided the momentum at the top, while Klaasen's late flourish (34 off 14) made a terrifying 286/6 total, which is now the second-highest in IPL history.

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Top 5 Most Expensive Spells in IPL

• Jofra Archer (2025) – 0/76
• Mohit Sharma (2024) – 0/73
• Basil Thampi – 0/70
• Yash Dayal (2023) – 0/69
• Reece Topley & Luke Wood (2024) – 0/68

Rajasthan Fights But Falls Short

Despite the steep target, Rajasthan Royals fought out a gallant chase, remaining at 242/6. Captain Sanju Samson (66 off 37) and Dhruv Jurel (70 off 35) powered the show, but early damage was too much to counter.

Match Summary

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 286/6

• Ishan Kishan: 106* (47)
• Travis Head: 67 (31)
• Tushar Deshpande: 3/44

Rajasthan Royals: 242/6

• Dhruv Jurel: 70 (35)
• Sanju Samson: 66 (37)
• Harshal Patel: 2/34

Jofra Archer's comeback was supposed to strengthen the Royals' pace bowling, but it became a record-breaking night for all the wrong reasons. With SRH now having four of the top five IPL totals including three in 2024 alone their merciless batting lineup seems set to overpower once again in 2025.