Ajinkya Rahane said he was pleased with how Kolkata Knight Riders’ spin group delivered the key moments and credited Finn Allen’s century as KKR powered past Delhi Capitals at Arun Jaitley Stadium, dragging themselves back into the playoff conversation with four matches remaining.
Key takeaways
- Rahane highlighted the impact of KKR’s spinners and praised Finn Allen’s century in the chase.
- Delhi Capitals were restricted to 142/8 in 20 overs after KKR’s middle-overs choke.
- Allen’s unbeaten 100 came off 47 balls as KKR recorded their fourth straight win.
- DC suffered their fifth consecutive home defeat and their seventh loss of the season overall.
- KKR moved up to seventh place, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
Rahane’s reaction after the win
Speaking at the post-match presentation after KKR’s win over Delhi Capitals, Rahane expressed satisfaction with the way his team’s spin bowlers controlled the contest, while also singling out Allen for his match-defining innings. With the business end of the league still ahead—four fixtures remaining—he said his approach is to focus on one game at a time.
Rahane felt Allen had been working hard after a difficult start to the season, adding that the way the batter performed in this match was “fantastic.” He then shifted the spotlight back to the bowling side, noting that KKR’s success was built on consistent execution in both the middle overs and the death overs. He specifically praised Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Anukul Roy for their performances, and also pointed to the fielding effort, saying the fielding coach has been very strict.
On Narine, Rahane said he prefers to “leave him alone,” suggesting that the all-rounder’s instinctive bowling approach does much of the heavy lifting. He also described it as a captain’s advantage to have Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy available, implying that the pair require minimal over-explanation.
Rahane further stressed the importance of staying “in the moment,” arguing that the early part of the campaign had seen KKR play strong cricket but that T20 matches are decided by what teams do during critical phases. He said being attentive and proactive—while remaining present—was a key factor in the outcome.
He also credited the coaching staff for the bowling improvements, naming Tim Southee and Dwayne Bravo for their work with the bowlers and the preparation that has helped the unit perform steadily.
Looking at KKR’s domestic contributors, Rahane spoke about Anukul Roy and Kartik Tyagi. He referenced Anukul’s domestic season output—eight wickets in 10 matches at an average above 22—and described Roy’s form as “fantastic.” For Kartik, he pointed to 13 wickets in 10 matches at an average above 24, noting that Tyagi has been clear in his mindset and full of confidence. Rahane concluded by saying that as a bowling unit, the team is doing very well overall.
How the match unfolded
KKR won the toss and chose to field first. Delhi Capitals began the innings with a solid partnership, with Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul putting together a 49-run stand. Nissanka made 50 off 29 balls, striking five fours and three sixes, before the momentum was disrupted.
After that, Delhi slipped to 89/5. Anukul Roy contributed by taking 2/31 in his four overs, shaking up the middle order. The spinners continued to tighten the screws: Varun Chakravarthy returned figures of 0/28 and Sunil Narine finished with 1/17, and together they delivered a sustained spell that stopped DC from building further. Kartik Tyagi also played a decisive role, taking two crucial wickets while conceding 25 runs.
In the later overs, Ashutosh Sharma provided the late acceleration, smashing 39 off 28 balls with three fours and six sixes. Still, Delhi could only reach 142/8 in 20 overs.
During the chase, KKR suffered an early setback, losing openers including captain Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi. The team was reduced to 31/2. However, Finn Allen and Cam Green then took control of the innings with a 116-run partnership. Allen struck 100* off 47 balls, while Green made 33* off 27 deliveries, including two sixes, as KKR completed the chase in 14.2 overs with eight wickets remaining.
Standings and implications
With the result, KKR climbed to seventh place thanks to their fourth consecutive victory, keeping their playoff chances alive. Delhi, in contrast, fell to eighth after a tough run, suffering their fifth straight defeat at home and their seventh loss of the season, leaving their playoff hopes effectively over.
