One of the finest fast bowlers going around in world cricket, Jofra Archer turns 27 on Thursday (April 1), and wishes are pouring in for him from all over the globe. Hailing from Barbados, Archer has every weapon in his arsenal which one need to be a world-class pacer. The right-arm paceman can set the speed-gun on fire, and his ability to nail bouncers and yorkers at will makes him a great asset. Moreover, the England cricketer is a live wire on the field and can also hurt oppositions with his big-hitting abilities lower down the order. All these factors make Archer an absolute captain’s delight. From Lungi Ngidi to Jofra Archer, Check Out the List of Players Who Will Be Unavailable at Beginning of IPL 2021.

Archer’s journey to glory has indeed not been easy. He played junior-level cricket in Barbados and even went onto represent the West Indies Under-19 team. While many backed the pacer to represent the senior team soon, a back injury kept him away from the selectors’ radar. He then decided to ply his trade in England on the recommendation of his fellow West Indian-born English star Chris Jordan. What followed next isn’t hidden from anyone as Archer took one step after another to glory.

Playing for Sussex, Archer delivered impressive performances constantly and became an instant hit. However, it was Australia’s Big Bash League that gave the pacer global fame. Playing for Hobart Hurricanes in BBL 2018, the Caribbean star impressed one and all with his genuine pace and big striking. He then went on to earn a contract with the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals.  His mind-boggling performances even forced the England Cricket Board (ECB) to relax the migration rules in order to get Archer’s services for the 2019 World Cup.  The speedster justified ECB’s trust as England clinched their maiden ODI World Cup.  As Archer turns a year older, let’s look at some quick facts about him.

# Jofra Archer was born on April 1, 1995, in Bridgetown, Barbados.

# He went on to play three times for the West Indies Under-19 team in 2013 but was left out of the 2014 U-19 World Cup squad.

# Acher joined English county club Sussex on the recommendation of another Barbados-born England cricketer Chris Jordan.

# With 15 scalps in 10 games, he was the highest wicket-taker for the Hobart Hurricanes in BBL 2017-18.

# Rajasthan Royals bought him for a whopping INR 7.2 Crore in IPL 2018 auction.

# He made his international debut in an ODI against Ireland in May 2019, few days before the 2019 World Cup.

# Archer was the third-highest wicket-taker in the 2019 World Cup, scalping 20 wickets in 11 games.

# The speedster even bowled the famous super over in the final against New Zealand, which took England to glory.

Archer will next be seen in VIVO IPL 2021, where he’ll look to take Rajasthan Royals to their second title. However, the pacer will miss the first few games due to his finger injury.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 01, 2021 08:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).