Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan showered praise on Jofra Archer after Rajasthan Royals registered a 30-run win against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday. With this win, RR were able to seal their playoffs berth and Pathan said Archer played an instrumental role in getting his team to the last four.

RR were able to finish strongly as Jofra Archer scored a crucial cameo of 15-ball 32. Thus, RR were able to post 205 runs on the board.

Furthermore, Archer returned with impressive figures of 3-17 in his quota of four overs. The gun fast bowler accounted for Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir and Hardik Pandya and was awarded Player of the Match.

“I think this has been one of his (Archer’s) best seasons in the IPL in bowling, but he was even upgraded in batting today (Sunday). Two batters were left to come after him, and they were experienced batters, especially Ravindra Jadeja,” the former India all-rounder said on JioHotstar.

“He (Archer) was given a chance, and he left an impact with his batting. The speed with which his 32 runs came was very crucial, and after that, with his bowling, he left an impact as soon as he came, and that is why Rajasthan have qualified today. Everyone will bow down and salute him. Jofra Archer has had that kind of season,” he added.

Archer has scalped 21 wickets in 14 matches of the ongoing season at an average of 21.71 and economy rate of 8.76.

Pathan added that Archer’s runs were more important than his bowling and RR could have struggled if he had not played that cameo.

“If those 32 runs hadn’t come, the score wouldn’t have reached beyond 200, and you wouldn’t have had a psychological edge. We saw that Mumbai were coming close. So those runs were more important than his bowling. Jofra Archer, as a batter, was helping the Jofra Archer who was about to come as a bowler,” he said.

RR will take on SRH in the eliminator on Wednesday.