Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener Finn Allen admitted that luck played a role in his explosive innings against Gujarat Titans (GT) after powering KKR to a crucial 29-run victory in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) at Eden Gardens on Saturday.
Allen produced one of the season’s most destructive knocks, smashing 93 off just 35 deliveries with 10 towering sixes and four boundaries. The New Zealand batter survived two dropped chances early in his innings and made Gujarat pay heavily as KKR piled up a mammoth 247/2.
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Luck’s Role In Blitz
“Sometimes you get a little bit lucky (talking about the luck he got early on). I just tried to continue as long as I could. Yeah, it’s a beautiful ground to bat at. Boundaries
are quite small, and the wicket is usually pretty good. It was a little bit tricky at the start, but we just tried to push through that,” Allen told the broadcasters at the innings break.
Allen shared a rapid 95-run partnership with Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who continued the assault with an unbeaten 82 off 44 balls. Cameron Green then added late fireworks with an unbeaten 52 as KKR maintained pressure throughout the innings.
Asked whether batting became easier as the match progressed, Allen said, “Definitely. It was quite challenging with the new ball. Again, two quality bowlers. So, as I said, I just tried to push through that and get to the middle phase.”
Allen also reserved special praise for Raghuvanshi’s maturity and composure at the crease.
“He’s a proper player. The way he gets up and starts his innings, the batsmanship that he shows at such a young age, he’s a quality player.”
In reply, Gujarat Titans fought back through skipper Shubman Gill, who smashed 85 off 49 balls, while Jos Buttler contributed 57. Sai Sudharsan returned after retiring hurt to score an unbeaten 53, but GT eventually finished on 218/4.
Sunil Narine starred with the ball for KKR, claiming 2/29 in his 200th IPL appearance as the hosts kept their playoff hopes alive with a dominant all-round display.
(With inputs from Agencies)
