The Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) stand-in captain, Riyan Parag, made a humorous remark as the team celebrated pacer Jofra Archer’s 30th birthday on Tuesday, April 1. The England pacer was bought by the franchise for INR 12.50 crore during the 2025 mega-auction.
As the team gathered at the hotel to mark the occasion and Jofra prepared to cut the cake, Parag quipped:
“Happy birthday, Jofra. I’m going to put cake on your face.”
The pacer then proceeded to cut the cake, with his teammates playfully smearing it on his face.
Fans can watch the video here:
The Royals were last in action on Sunday, March 30, when they faced the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Put in to bat, RR finished with a total of 182/9 in their 20 overs. Nitish Rana was the standout performer, scoring 81 off 36 balls, including 10 fours and five sixes, while skipper Riyan Parag contributed 37 off 28 balls.
In reply, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad played a solid innings, making 63 off 44 balls with seven fours and one six. In the final stages, MS Dhoni scored 16 off 11 balls, while Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten on 32 off 22 balls. However, it wasn’t enough, as CSK finished at 176/6 in their 20 overs, falling short by six runs.
Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers for RR, claiming four wickets, while Jofra Archer bowled an outstanding spell, taking one wicket and conceding just 13 runs in his three overs.
RR will face Punjab Kings in their 4th game of IPL 2025
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) will next take the field against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their fourth match of the season. The game is scheduled for Saturday, April 5, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh.
After suffering defeats in their first two games against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the Royals secured their first win against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and will be looking to extend their winning streak. On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer’s PBKS has won both of their opening matches and will be eager to complete a hat-trick of victories.
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Edited by Sudeshna Banerjee
