KKR cruise past DC as Finn Allen blasts 100

Kolkata Knight Riders beat Delhi Capitals by 8 wickets with 34 balls remaining in IPL 2026 Match 51, powered by a stunning Finn Allen century. Allen hammered 100 off 47 balls with 10 sixes and five fours, turning a modest chase into a one-sided finish after Delhi had been held to 142/8.

The result extends KKR’s strong run in the tournament after their earlier wins in Match 45 and Match 28, while Delhi missed the chance to build on their victory in Match 43. With this being Match 51 of 70 in the league stage, the race remains wide open, and the next fixture in the competition is Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans on Saturday, May 9.

Delhi Capitals innings: bright start, then a squeeze

Delhi Capitals began with intent through Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul. Nissanka struck 50 from just 29 balls, finding the boundary five times and clearing it three times, while Rahul’s 23 off 14 gave the innings early momentum. But once that opening thrust was checked, KKR tightened their grip impressively.

Nitish Rana made 8 off 10, Sameer Rizvi fell for 3 off 7, and Tristan Stubbs managed only 2 off 4 as the middle overs stalled badly. Axar Patel’s 11 off 22 underlined Delhi’s struggle to rotate strike, and what had promised to be a total in the 160 range slipped away.

Ashutosh Sharma provided the late resistance with 39 off 28 balls, including three fours and three sixes, but Delhi never fully recovered from the slowdown through the middle phase. They finished on 142/8 from 20 overs, a total that looked light on a surface where timing the ball cleanly was clearly possible.

KKR’s bowling effort was disciplined and varied. Kartik Tyagi was outstanding with 2/25 in four overs, while Anukul Roy’s 2/31 also proved important in breaking Delhi’s structure. Sunil Narine conceded only 17 in his four overs and picked up 1/17, once again controlling the tempo in the middle overs. Vaibhav Arora chipped in with 1/29, and Cameron Green added a wicket in his lone over.

Finn Allen blows the chase apart

If Delhi hoped for scoreboard pressure to do some work, Allen removed that possibility almost immediately. After Ajinkya Rahane made 13 off 9 at the top, Allen took over completely, launching the chase with remarkable force and range. His 100 came off 47 balls at a strike rate of 212.8, and the innings featured 10 sixes, repeatedly putting Delhi’s bowlers off their lengths.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi fell for 1 off 3, giving Axar Patel the only wicket in the main part of the chase, but there was no sustained opening for Delhi. Cameron Green then played the perfect supporting hand, finishing unbeaten on 33 from 27 balls with two sixes as KKR surged to 147/2 in just 14.2 overs.

The chase was defined by Allen’s clean hitting, but also by KKR’s control of the required rate. They never allowed the innings to drift, and once Allen settled, the asking rate became irrelevant. Delhi’s attack had no answer: Mitchell Starc went wicketless for 31 in three overs, Kuldeep Yadav conceded 41 in three, and Vipraj Nigam’s two overs cost 34. Lungi Ngidi was economical with 0/7 from two overs, but the target was too small to create real pressure.

Key performers

Kolkata Knight Riders
Finn Allen: 100 off 47 balls
Cameron Green: 33* off 27 balls
Kartik Tyagi: 2/25 in 4 overs
Sunil Narine: 1/17 in 4 overs

Delhi Capitals
Pathum Nissanka: 50 off 29 balls
Ashutosh Sharma: 39 off 28 balls
KL Rahul: 23 off 14 balls
Axar Patel: 1/27 in 4 overs

NerdSports Stat: Finn Allen’s 100 accounted for more than 70% of Delhi Capitals’ entire first-innings total of 142, and KKR still completed the chase with 34 balls to spare.

For Delhi, the defeat will sting because they were slight pre-match favourites at 51.82%, but their innings lost shape after the powerplay and left too much for the bowlers to defend. For KKR, this was a statement win: sharp with the ball, ruthless with the bat, and another timely result as the league stage moves into its final stretch.

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