The New Zealand cricketer Finn Allen made a powerful comeback in the IPL 2026 season with a match-winning century that helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secure a dominant eight-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Chasing a target of 143, the New Zealand opener played one of the best knocks of the season, remaining unbeaten on 100 off just 47 balls. His explosive innings guided KKR to victory with 35 balls still left and extended the team’s winning streak to four matches.
Finn Allen’s performance was especially important because he had struggled earlier in the season. The batter had managed only a few starts and was even dropped for three matches, with fellow Kiwi cricketer Tim Seifert taking his place in the playing XI. However, Finn Allen returned with a calmer mindset and looked confident from the beginning despite KKR losing early wickets.
Here is how he reached the three digit mark:
https://x.com/IPL/status/2052799204079403481
Click to watch this video directly on X
After the match, Finn Allen said he had been trying to improve his batting approach and become more responsible at the crease. He explained that after the early wickets, his focus was to settle in first and build the innings patiently before attacking. The opener admitted that being dropped from the side helped him mentally reset and reduced the pressure he had been putting on himself during the first half of the tournament.
Finn Allen also credited assistant coach Shane Watson and head coach Abhishek Nayar for helping him work on his game during the break.
He received solid support from Cameron Green who stayed unbeaten on 33. The duo shared an unbroken 116-run partnership that completely took the game away from Delhi Capitals and sealed another comfortable win for KKR.
