Finn Allen came into the batting innings after being on the Impact Player’s list. He made an immediate impact and impressed one and all to decimate DC in all parts. Finn Allen was a cut above the rest as the Impact Player stood up and was counted. He scored a majestic 100 runs off 47 balls to win the contest and stayed unbeaten. Before that innings, the bowlers of KKR bowled well and kept them down to 142/8, a below-par score despite Nissanka’s half-century.
In the chase, the impact Player Finn Allen blazed away to a superb unbeaten ton. Cameron Green made an unbeaten 33 runs while Rahane had gotten to double figures early on. The others didn’t have to do a thing as Allen made 100 out of 147 that KKR scored in the end. KKR are in 7th place and still in with a chance.
Disciplined bowling led by Kartik Tyagi helps KKR restrict DC to 142/8 in 20 overs
Put into bat first, Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul came out to bat for DC while Anukul Roy had the ball in hand for KKR. Nissanka started well in the power play. Rahul took his time initially and then took on the bowling inside the power play. Both the openers got starts and maximised the power play. They put on 49 inside the first 5 overs of the power play before Rahul fell for 23 off 14 balls with 4 fours to his name to Kartik Tyagi. Nitish Rana came out to bat next.
At the end of the power play, DC were 55/1 and on course to get a decent score on the board. But now came the middle overs, which KKR thrives on to squeeze their opponents and tonight was no different. Nissanka did well and got to his fifty as well. Rana and Nissanka added 25 runs for the second wicket before Rana was dismissed for 8 off 10 balls with one boundary to his name by Cameron Green. Sameer Rizvi came out to bat next. Rizvi did not last long, as just 6 runs were added to the kitty before he fell for 3 off 7 balls to Sunil Narine. Tristan Stubbs came out to bat next.
Nissanka did not last long thereafter as he reached his fifties and got out soon. Just 5 runs were added to the score before Nissanka fell for 50 off 29 balls with 5 fours and 3 sixes to his name to Anukul Roy. Captain Axar Patel came out to bat next. Just 4 runs were added to the score before Stubbs was cleaned up by Roy for 2 off 4 balls. Ashutosh Sharma came out to bat next.
It was a struggle for the duo of Sharma and Patel. They just played dot balls and hardly got runs. The spin and pace choked the Capitals out. Later on, Ashutosh changed gears in the last 5 overs to give DC some respectability. The duo added 39 runs off a pain-staking 46 balls before the captain Axar Patel fell for a Test innings like 11 runs off 22 balls to Vaibhav Arora. Vipraj Nigam came out to bat next. Sharma continued to hit and go big and added 12 runs for the 7th wicket before Sharma fell for a well-made 39 off 28 balls with 3 fours and 3 sixes to his name to Tyagi.
Mitchell Starc came out to bat next. Starc tried to run a bye and was run out for a silver duck. Lungi Ngidi came out to bat next. 2 runs were scored off the last two balls as DC ended with a below-par score of 142/8 in 20 overs. Nigam was unbeaten on 3 off 3 balls while Ngidi was unbeaten on 1 off 1 ball. 2 extras in the form of wide given by the KKR team.
Kartik Tyagi was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/25 in 4 overs. Anukul Roy finished with figures of 2/31 in 4 overs. Sunil Narine finished with figures of 1/17 in 4 overs. Vaibhav Arora finished with figures of 1/29 in 3 overs. Cameron Green finished with 1/12 in one over. Varun Chakaravarthy finished with 0/28 in 4 overs. This meant that the target for KKR was 143 runs to win off 20 overs.
Finn Allen’s blazing ton blows DC away in 14.2 overs
Chasing 143 for the win, captain Ajinkya Rahane and Impact Player Finn Allen came out to bat for KKR while Mitchell Starc had the ball in hand for DC. KKR made a quick start tonight as Allen and Rahane looked good out there to give their side a flying start in the power play. They added 29 runs for the first wicket inside 3 overs before Rahane was unfortunately run out for 13 off 9 balls with one four and one six to his name as the ball hit Starc’s hands and hit the stumps. Angkrish Raghuvanshi, the keeper-batter, came out to bat next.
Just 2 runs were added to the total before Raghuvanshi went for 1 off 5 balls, with the ball hitting the body and rolling back onto the stumps. KKR were 31/2 in 3.4 overs when Cameron Green came out to bat to join Allen in the middle. After this, there was no moment to cherish for DC after this. Green played the perfect role of a support cast. Allen played himself initially. But it was the Finn Allen show as he thumped the DC bowlers to submission.
KKR were 43/2 in 6 overs, and from there it was no way back for the home side as the Knights just took control of the proceedings. They aced the middle phase, and DC had no answers to it. Allen just tore apart the spinners, especially Vipraj Nigam and, more so, Kuldeep Yadav. No one was spared as Allen paced the innings perfectly and got his hundred towards the end.
KKR did not break a sweat as a maximum was always available from the DC bowlers. This was a proper thrashing. Allen got into the 90s and then got the opportunity for his hundred, and he scored it in style. With 2 needed for the win, Allen smashed his ton over deep midwicket to complete his magnificent ton off 47 balls and finished the game quickly. He scored at times, while Green was happy with a spectator with Allen in that mood.
Allen finished with an unbeaten 100 off 47 balls with 5 fours and 10 sixes to his name. Green was unbeaten on 33 off 27 balls with 2 sixes to his name. KKR finished with 147/2 in 14.2 overs with 0 extras given by the fielding side.
Nothing much to ride home about DC bowling. Axar Patel finished with 1/27 in 4 overs. Mitchell Starc went for 31 runs in 3 overs. Lungi Ngidi finished with 0/7 in 2 overs. Vipraj Nigam went for 34 runs in 2 overs. Impact Player Kuldeep Yadav finished with figures of 0/41 in 3 overs. Mukesh Kumar came and has bowled two balls as he was hit for the winning six to score his hundred off 47 balls and is unbeaten. So, KKR thrashed DC by 8 wickets with 34 balls to spare and climbed upwards in the points table. Finn Allen was awarded the Player of the Match award.
What Lies Ahead
KKR with this thrashing win by 8 wickets against DC. They go above DC and into 7th place and part of the chasing pack. DC are all but out of the season. Their NRR has taken a beating. KKR has RCB next in Raipur before returning home for their last three matches there in Kolkata. DC have important fixtures coming up. Speaking of importance, tomorrow’s game is vital as RR are hosting GT at Jaipur later tonight in a 4th vs 5th place clash. But tonight it was a clean catch and was an easy win. Both RR have 12 points and GT as well.
Let’s see how the game unfolds tomorrow night.
Also Read:Â DC vs KKR: DC & KKR Face Off In Do-Or-Die Clash