England cricketer Jofra Archer faced criticism after allowing 109 runs without taking a wicket in the Rajasthan Royals' initial match. However, he made a remarkable comeback on Saturday during the game against Punjab Kings in Chandigarh, where he claimed three wickets and earned the Player of the Match accolade. What contributed to his resurgence? Likely the power nap he took while Rajasthan was batting against PBKS.

In the 14th over of the first innings on Saturday, the camera captured Archer resting under a blanket in the Rajasthan Royals' dressing room. He later woke up, stretched, and prepared to bat. Although his team did not need his services during the first innings, as Rajasthan posted a total of 205 for four in 20 overs, Archer unleashed his aggression in the second innings, taking two wickets in the very first over.

The right-arm bowler, who has faced injury challenges over the past few years, sent Punjab opener Priyansh Arya back to the pavilion without scoring on the very first ball of the innings. Despite conceding two boundaries to Shreyas Iyer, Archer ultimately outperformed the in-form PBKS captain by dismissing him on the last delivery of the over.

This marked the 13th occasion on which Archer bowled the first over in an IPL innings, achieving eight wickets with an impressive average of 5.75 and an economy rate of 3.53. Among the 106 bowlers who have bowled the first over at least five times in the tournament, none have surpassed Archer's economy or average. As per CricViz, his average bowling impact during these overs stands at +7.1, the highest in IPL history.

Archer secured his third wicket by dismissing Arshdeep Singh, concluding the match with figures of 3 for 25, contributing to Rajasthan's 50-run victory over Punjab.

"That was at the start of the tournament, but I am pleased to have played a role in the win. On days like this, it is essential to capitalize, relish the good performances, and accept the less favorable ones. Luck can play a part, and while everyone trains as hard as you do, not every day will be exceptional," he remarked during the post-match presentation after receiving the Player of the Match accolade.

With this defeat, PBKS has recorded their first loss of IPL 2025, beginning their home leg on a disappointing note. They currently sit in fourth place with two wins and one loss, while RR occupies the seventh position with two victories in two matches.

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