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Jofra Archer Becomes Rajasthan Royals' All-Time Leading Wicket-Taker in IPL 2026

Jofra Archer became Rajasthan Royals' all-time leading wicket-taker in the IPL, surpassing Shane Watson's tally of 67 wickets. He achieved the feat during RR's match against Lucknow Super Giants, taking three wickets for just 20 runs. The English fast bowler now has 68 wickets for the franchise in 54 matches. His stellar performance helped RR defend 159 runs and secure a 40-run victory, moving them to second place in the points table.

Key Points: Jofra Archer Tops RR Wicket-Takers List in IPL

  • Jofra Archer becomes RR's leading wicket-taker with 68 scalps
  • Surpasses Shane Watson's 67 wickets in 54 matches
  • Took 3/20 including a maiden against LSG
  • RR successfully defended 159 runs for a 40-run win
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IPL 2026: Archer surpasses Watson to become leading wicket-taker for Rajasthan Royals

Jofra Archer surpasses Shane Watson with 68 wickets for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026, leading a superb bowling display to defend 159 runs against Lucknow Super Giants.

"He took three wickets in the match and overtook Australian all-rounder Shane Watson's tally of 67 wickets - Match Report"

Lucknow, April 23

English seamer Jofra Archer became the leading wicket-taker for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League during the match against Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday.

He took three wickets in the match and overtook Australian all-rounder Shane Watson's tally of 67 wickets in the IPL. Now, Archer has 68 wickets under his name for the franchise in the IPL.

Playing his 54th IPL game for the franchise, Archer conceded just 20 runs in his four overs, including a maiden and claimed three crucial wickets, while his team was defending a modest total of 159 runs at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.

Watson played 84 matches for RR and took 67 wickets at an average of 27.83 and an economy of 7.55. Watson last played for the Royals in the 2015 season.

Yuzvendra Chahal, who played for the franchise from 2022 to 2024, is third in the list of wicket-takers with 66 wickets under his name. He played just 46 matches and claimed wickets at an average of 22.80.

Archer has bowled four maidens out of the 208 overs he has bowled for the franchise. The premier fast bowler made his IPL debut with RR in 2018 and was a key part till the 2020 season. He rejoined the franchise ahead of the 2025 season and has now become one of the most important parts of the squad.

The Royals successfully defended 159 runs against LSG on the back of top performances from their fast bowlers. Nandre Burger (27/2) and Brijesh Sharma (18/2) also played key roles in RR's big 40-run win over the hosts.

Rajasthan Royals currently stand in second place in the points table after this win and will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in their next match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Archer overtaking Watson is no small feat—Watson was an RR legend. But I'm a bit worried about the batting. 159 runs is not a big total, and we can't always rely on the bowlers to save us. Riyan Parag and Sanju Samson need to step up consistently. Still, great win!
🏏 IPL 2026 is getting intense!
R
Ravi K
What a turnaround for Archer after rejoining RR! He was already a fan favorite from 2018-2020, and now he's back with a bang. 68 wickets in 54 games is excellent. But I feel Chahal's 66 wickets in just 46 matches is underrated—he was a beast for RR.
M
Michael C
As an RR fan from the UK, I'm thrilled to see Jofra doing so well. His ability to bowl yorkers at the death is unmatched. That said, the team needs a more consistent middle order—sandpaper batting isn't going to win the title. Let's hope the team management works on it.
N
Nisha Z
Ekana Stadium always helps the bowlers, but defending 159 against a strong LSG batting lineup was incredible. Archer, Burger, and Brijesh—this pace trio is giving me chills! 😎 RR's bowling coach has done an amazing job. Onto the SRH game now!
J
James A
It's great

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