Yesterday IPL Match Result: Finn Allen's ton fashions 4th straight win for KKR against DC

Kolkata Knight Riders were desperate to see Finn Allen fire, and fire he did at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday night. On a surface that appeared tricky when Delhi Capitals batted, Allen produced an exhibition of clean, fearless strokeplay to smash an unbeaten century and steer Kolkata Knight Riders to an eight-wicket win that kept them firmly in contention for a playoff spot. Knight Riders’ fourth win in succession not only helped them leapfrog the hosts in the IPL standings, but also left Capitals staring at the exit door.

On a pitch where the ball gripped and scoring looked difficult, Kolkata Knight Riders’ bowlers had earlier applied the slow choke on Capitals’ batters to restrict the hosts to 142/8 after opting to bowl. The same strip where Punjab Kings had chased down 265 a couple of weeks ago seemed to have changed character when Capitals batted. However, it had little effect on Allen. The Knight Riders opener exploded from start to finish, hitting 10 sixes and five fours in his unbeaten 100 off 47 balls. The Kiwi was severe on the spinners but a ramped six off Mitchell Starc was the highlight of the night.

Allen was involved in an unbroken 116-run stand for the third wicket with Cameron Green, who made 33 not out off 27 balls, as Knight Riders overhauled the modest target in just 14.2 overs. The chase had briefly wobbled when Ajinkya Rahane was run out for 13 and Angkrish Raghuvanshi was bowled by Axar Patel for one, leaving KKR at 31/2 in the fourth over. But Allen ensured there was no room for Delhi to build pressure. He reached his fifty off 32 balls and then shifted gears dramatically. Once he found his range, Capitals’ bowlers had nowhere to hide. Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam came in for heavy punishment, while Starc too was taken apart as Allen turned a potentially awkward chase into a statement win.
Green played the ideal support act, holding one end up and allowing Allen to dictate the tempo. By the time Allen brought up his hundred, the result had long become a formality. Earlier, the Knight Riders bowlers did not have to do anything spectacular. They kept a tight line, varied their pace smartly and kept tightening the noose around Capitals’ batting lineup. Had it not been for a late cameo from Ashutosh Sharma, who made 39 off 28 balls, the hosts may not even have crossed 140.
The Capitals openers, Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul, appeared mindful of the collapses that have hurt them in recent games and did not go all out in the Powerplay. Nissanka was the more fluent of the two, playing some delightful shots. Rahul was the first to depart. He fell in Kartik Tyagi’s first over for 23 off 14 balls. Nitish Rana came and went quickly, falling for eight to Green’s slower delivery. Sameer Rizvi then appeared all at sea against the spin and guile of Varun Chakravarthy. He could barely get bat on ball against the mystery spinner and was beaten repeatedly.