Finn Allen, New Zealand’s hard-hitting opener, blasted his way through Delhi Capitals’ bowling on his way to a flawless hundred. That knock, finished in just 47 deliveries, carried Kolkata Knight Riders past a tame total with room to spare. Five boundaries and ten maximums marked the pace – lightning fast, relentless. His strike rate hovered near 213, showing how quickly he seized control. This was his third T20 century in one year, making him the first player from New Zealand to do so in a single calendar stretch. Before him, only Brendon McCullum had reached triple figures in the league – back in 2008 with a fiery 158. Moments like these don’t come often, especially against full-strength attacks under bright lights. The innings stood out not for its timing but its sheer dominance from the very first over. A calm head guided explosive hands, turning pressure into points. Few batters make difficult chases look effortless; Allen did exactly that. Reaching three tons wasn’t planned – it simply unfolded with each clean hit. History took note when the final boundary crossed the rope.
That came after his 53-ball hundred playing for Perth Scorchers in the BBL. Earlier still, he reached triple digits off just 33 deliveries versus South Africa during the T20 World Cup semis. That knock stands as the quickest century ever recorded across either format’s global tournaments.
Third on the list for most sixes by a KKR player in one IPL game. Ahead of him, Andre Russell smashed 11 against CSK back in 2018 in Chennai, scoring 88 from just 36 deliveries. Then there is McCullum, who launched 13 maximums in the very first IPL match ever played, a knock of 158 that shifted how cricket would be seen forever.
Around him, McCullum, Venkatesh Iyer, and Sunil Narine had already reached triple figures for KKR in the IPL. Now he steps into that group – matching their feat with a hundred of his own. Not far behind those names, yet standing on fresh ground. This innings places him beside them, another name etched in orange after a flawless knock.
So far this season, he’s made 210 runs across seven innings, averaging 35.00 while hitting at a pace of 205.88, including one hundred. Across 23 T20 knocks this year, Allen’s tallied 905 runs – average sitting at 45.25, speed just under 196 – with three hundreds tucked in, along with three half-centuries mixed in.
Out came KKR after winning the toss, choosing to bowl. A burst of scoring early on saw Nissanka and Rahul add 49 quickly – Nissanka smashing 50 in just 29, laced with five boundaries and three huge hits over the ropes. Then everything tipped sideways when DC fell apart at 89 for 5, thanks mainly to Anukul Roy ripping through with 2 for 31 across his four overs. Through the middle, the slow bowlers tightened the screws hard – Varun mixing craft and confusion without picking wickets but leaking only 28, Narine snaring one while keeping things tight for 17. Tyagi struck twice more, holding firm with figures of 2 for 25. Near the end, Ashutosh Sharma clawed back with a fiery 39 from 28, including three fours and three maximums, pushing Delhi Capitals to 142 for 8 by the time the innings closed.
Chasing down the target, KKR saw their top order crumble quickly – Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi both out before they could settle, leaving them at 31 for two. Yet momentum shifted when Allen joined forces with Cameron Green, who struck three fours and two towering sixes during his brisk 27-ball stay. Their partnership stretched to 116 runs, building a platform too strong to challenge. By the time the winning run was taken, only 14.2 overs had passed, and Kolkata still held eight wickets untouched.
Seventh place now belongs to KKR after another victory, their fourth straight. Winning streaks like this tend to breathe life into shaky playoff dreams. Delhi’s hopes? Drowned under a wave of losses – five back-to-back at home now. Home ground hasn’t helped them one bit lately. Season tally grows heavier: seven defeats that add up fast. Eighth spot sits quietly beneath them, cold comfort. No room left for comebacks when luck runs out this far.
