New Delhi [India], May 8 : New Zealand batter Finn Allen, who smacked a match-winning ton for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against Delhi Capitals (DC), became the first Kiwi batter to smash three T20 centuries in a calendar year.
During the IPL clash against DC, Allen single-handedly made an absolute meal of a modest 143-run chase, scoring an unbeaten 100* in 47 balls, with five fours and 10 sixes, striking at 212.77. He is also the second Kiwi after Brendon McCullum (158* against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in opening match of inaugural IPL in 2008) to have a ton in the cash-rich competition.
Before this, he had smacked a 53-ball century for Perth Scorchers in Big Bash League (BBL) and a 33-ball century against South Africa in the T20 World Cup semifinals, the fastest-ever century in the history of both 50-over and T20 World Cups combined.
He has third most sixes by a KKR batter in an IPL innings, below 11 sixes by Andre Russell against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2018 at Chennai during his 88* in 36 balls and 13 maximums by McCullum during his explosive 158* in IPL's first-ever match that changed the landscape of the sport.
He joins McCullum, Venkatesh Iyer and Sunil Narine as the fourth batter to hit an IPL century for KKR.
In the ongoing season, he has scored 210 runs in seven innings at an average of 35.00 and a strike rate of 205.88, with a century. This year, Allen has smashed 905 runs in 23 T20 innings at an average of 45.25 and a strike rate of 195.04, with three centuries and fifties each.
Coming to the match, KKR won the toss and opted to field first. After a 49-run stand between Pathum Nissanka (50 in 29 balls, with five fours and three sixes) and KL, DC sunk to 89/5, with Anukul Roy (2/31 in four overs) shaking up their middle-order. Spinners Varun Chakravarthy (0/28) and Sunil Narine (1/17) also unleashed a brutal spin choke in middle overs, while Kartik Tyayi also took two crucial wickets for 25 runs. Ashutosh Sharma (39 in 28 balls, with three fours and sixes each) took DC to 142/8 in 20 overs.
In the chase, KKR lost openers skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi early, reduced to 31/2, but a 116-run stand between Allen and Cam Green (33* in 27 balls, with two sixes) took KKR to a win in 14.2 overs, with eight wickets in hand.
KKR has climbed to seventh with their fourth-successive win, with their playoff chances alive. DC has slipped to eighth, suffering fifth successive loss at home and their seventh of the season. Their playoff chances are extinct.