New Delhi: With Nepal demanding six runs off the last two balls of the 2026 T20 World Cup opener, England seemed poised for an early exit. Although the cricketing gods showed mercy that day, the cracks in the system soon burst through the 30-overs against the West Indies. Pacer Jofra Archer’s form was seen as a major Achilles heel, conceding 90 runs in eight overs and being torn apart by his opponents. Archer was unexpectedly involved in limited action due to a side strain, which clearly reflected his lack of rhythm.
However, the 30-year-old pacer showed remarkable tenacity to turn England around and was especially impressive in the powerplay. Archer took 10 wickets in seven games at the 2026 T20 World Cup and recorded eight dismissals in the powerplay, the most by any bowler ahead of the semi-finals. England took 18 wickets in the powerplay, six more than India. Archer also scored 66 off 114 deliveries in the opening six overs, his best score in the ongoing edition.
“When Archer struggled, his passes slipped down his legs”
Coach Zubin Bharucha, who has played alongside the England pacer, dismissed concerns over his performance in the first two matches. In an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com, Bharucha said: “Such a fast bowler needs regular competitive action to get into flow. When Archer struggles, his delivery tends to drift down the leg side and the wrist also seems to be a bit bent due to incorrect follow-through and lack of synchronization.”
Archer’s training sessions are very structured and focus on top-notch intensity. While critics have called the pacer a slouch, that’s not the case. Archer is a very sharp and intuitive player who pays close attention to every instruction and even caught Shane Warne off guard at one point.
Caught Shane Warne off guard
“At one point, Vaughan was sharing instructions in a meeting and Archer seemed very inattentive. However, he almost challenged Vaughn about the communication afterward, saying, ‘You mentioned something, but it wasn’t true.’ Vaughan later told me, ‘We have to be careful around him. Jofra listens to everything,'” Barucha jokingly shared.
England will take on India in the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and Archer can generate extra bounce and movement on clay. The pacer’s action is very deceptive, leaving the batsman in no man’s land while trying to negotiate his delivery. India managed to bounce back from the powerplay against the United States, but it certainly won’t be that easy against Archer, who will be England’s ace.
Interestingly, the 30-year-old fast bowler has been dominant against Sanju Samson so far, dismissing the batsman on short delivery thrice in 5 T20Is. Samson scored 25 runs off 23 deliveries delivered by Archer but died while trying to pull the ball. The batsman’s record is sure to come as a blow to Indian fans, considering the expectations are rising after his 97 against West Indies.
“Samson versus Archer will be a game of cat and mouse”
“It will be a cat-and-mouse game between Sanju and Jofra. Samson needs to be cautious as he is likely to inflict a devastating blow if Archer is allowed to settle. I would not be surprised if he gets third in front. Samson should get into position and take advantage of the rhythm and attack from the back foot. Attacking from the opening delivery or the last ball will be a wise choice,” Bharucha said.
However, during England’s tour of India in early 2025, Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma found success against Archer. The former made 33 passes and scored 61 points, while the latter accumulated 36 points on 16 balls by creating space and cutting the ball. Abhishek smashed 135 runs (54 runs) in the final T20I against England at the Wankhede Stadium, with the 30-year-old pacer conceding 55 runs and picking one wicket. A wonderful game is waiting for you.