IPL 2026: Finn Allen’s maiden IPL century powers KKR to dominant win over Delhi Capitals
Kolkata Knight Riders secured a commanding eight-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals, fueled by a stellar spin attack and Finn Allen's explosive maiden IPL century. This fourth consecutive win keeps KKR's playoff aspirations burning bright, while Delhi faces mounting pressure. Allen's unbeaten 100 off 47 balls guided KKR to a swift chase after restricting Delhi to 142.
Kolkata Knight Riders continued their remarkable late-season revival with a crushing eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday, thanks to a superb spin display followed by a breathtaking maiden IPL century from Finn Allen. The victory was KKR’s fourth successive win and kept their playoff hopes alive, while Delhi slipped deeper into trouble with their seventh defeat in 11 matches. After opting to bowl first, Kolkata’s bowling unit delivered a clinical performance to restrict Delhi to just 142/8 on a surface where the hosts had earlier posted 264 this season.
While Pathum Nissanka gave Delhi a bright start with an aggressive 50 off 29 balls, the innings gradually lost momentum once KKR’s spinners settled in. Nissanka and KL Rahul added fluency during the powerplay, taking Delhi to 49 while attacking anything loose. Nissanka looked particularly confident, finding boundaries through the off side and clearing the ropes with ease.
However, KKR’s decision to trust spin from the very beginning proved decisive. Sunil Narine and Anukul Roy were introduced early and immediately slowed the scoring rate with disciplined lines and subtle variations. The breakthrough finally came when Kartik Tyagi dismissed Rahul for 23 with a slower delivery that forced an aerial mistake.
Soon after, Cameron Green removed Nitish Rana cheaply to leave Delhi under pressure. From there, KKR’s spin trio tightened their grip completely. Varun Chakaravarthy bowled a miserly spell that dried up boundaries, forcing Delhi’s batters into risky shots.