Finn Allen’s explosive knock lit up Eden Gardens as Kolkata Knight Riders put Gujarat Titans under pressure with sloppy fielding and relentless batting to post their highest team total of the season—247 for two—in an IPL match on Saturday. The New Zealand opener struck at breathtaking pace, smashing 10 sixes and four boundaries in a 35-ball 93 that featured two early reprieves. By the time the innings settled, Allen had produced one of the most destructive batting performances of the campaign, with 86 runs coming purely from boundaries.
Allen’s “Finn-sanity” at Eden Gardens
Allen did not look like someone who would be denied after surviving two chances early on. The Gujarat side dropped him on 14 and again on 33, and from there he accelerated through the innings with a mix of power and clean hitting. His barrage included a long-range straight six over mid-off and another whipped six over midwicket off a 149kph delivery, helping him surge to 28 from just 11 balls.
- Allen’s innings: 35 balls, 93 runs, featuring 10 sixes and four boundaries.
- Boundary output: 86 runs came from boundaries.
- Record milestone: Allen became the first batter in the world to hit 10 sixes in an IPL innings twice in a season.
- Season tally: his 10 maximums took him to 27 sixes in the IPL 2026 season after nine matches.
- Debut-season best for KKR: the most sixes by a KKR player in a debut campaign (previous best was Phil Salt’s 24 in 2024).
- All-time chase: Allen needs five more sixes to surpass Sanath Jayasuriya’s all-time IPL record of 31 in his debut season (set in 2008 for Mumbai Indians).
KKR’s platform: the 108-run push in the third wicket
While Allen tore through Gujarat’s bowling in the early and middle phases, the innings gained extra stability through a second surge led by Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Cameron Green. They combined to add 108 runs for the third wicket in just 53 balls, keeping the pressure on and ensuring KKR didn’t lose momentum at any stage.
- Raghuvanshi finished unbeaten on 82.
- Green finished unbeaten on 52.
- Third-wicket stand: 108 runs, built off 53 balls.
Four dropped chances during the innings reflected how difficult it was for Gujarat to keep up with KKR’s pace. All three KKR batters who reached half-centuries—Allen, Raghuvanshi and Green—made the Titans pay for the missed opportunities. Raghuvanshi also received a reprieve on 52, this time at the hands of Washington Sundar, while Green was dropped on 23 by Arshad Khan off Rashid Khan.
How the chase was built: early acceleration, then sustained damage
Gujarat were asked to bowl first by KKR captain Shubman Gill on a sticky surface that had remained under covers after rain. But their problems were compounded by poor catching, as KKR’s batting never truly slowed. Allen helped set the tempo immediately, with KKR reaching 100 in nine overs. From there, they reached 200 in only eight more overs, with the Green-Raghuvanshi combination playing a major role in turning a strong start into a massive total.
The innings included a handful of near-misses and quick shifts in rhythm. Allen survived a tough moment early on 14 when Jason Holder, bowling tall and sharp from the field, got fingertips to a chance at cover off Mohammed Siraj. Ajinkya Rahane then had a short, choppy spell—he struggled to 14 off 14 balls before Siraj removed him. After Rahane’s dismissal, there was a brief lull inside the powerplay before Allen was given another life and pushed the score back upward.
Holder made an impact after being introduced, forcing a mishit, but Siraj spilled a simple catch at long-on—another moment that proved costly. From that point, Allen entered an even higher gear, attacking pace and spin with equal confidence, picking lengths early and clearing the ropes with ease.
Rashid was not spared: Allen greeted the spinner with two sixes and a four to move to a 21-ball half-century. Raghuvanshi provided the perfect counterpoint, using the pace well and keeping the scoring moving, including a sharp scoop over the wicketkeeper off Rabada to get settled.
Allen looked on course for a second IPL hundred of the season before Rashid finally ended the carnage, taking a well-judged catch at deep midwicket off Sai Kishore. With Allen gone, Green and Raghuvanshi ensured the innings did not lose its intensity in the final overs.
Closing overs: Green and Raghuvanshi keep KKR’s momentum intact
In the late stages, Green brought the finishing power, striking three sixes as KKR continued to pile on runs. Raghuvanshi also stepped up to add the necessary weight at the other end, and together they guided KKR to 247 for two, capping a match where Gujarat’s fielding lapses and KKR’s boundary-hitting dominance proved decisive.
