Kolkata Knight Riders opener Finn Allen lit up Eden Gardens with a breathtaking start against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026. The explosive Kiwi batter went on the offensive from the very first over, smashing 24 runs off just five deliveries bowled by David Payne. His fearless approach immediately put SRH under pressure and set the tone for a high-scoring contest.
Allen showcased his power-hitting ability with a stunning sequence of shots. After Ajinkya Rahane rotated the strike early, the New Zealand batter took charge, hammering three boundaries and two massive sixes in the over. One of those sixes, a towering pull shot over deep mid-wicket, stood out as the highlight. In his brief but impactful stay, Allen scored 28 runs off just seven balls at a staggering strike rate of 400.
WATCH – Varun Chakravarthy’s Controversial Catch Ends Abhishek Sharma’s Blitz
This wasn’t a one-off performance either. Allen had already impressed in KKR’s opening match against Mumbai Indians, where he scored a quickfire 37 off 17 balls. His aggressive intent at the top has provided KKR with much-needed momentum in the powerplay.
Hammered ✖️ 2⃣ 👊
🎥 How good was that opening over blitz from Finn Allen? 😮
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However, Sunrisers Hyderabad fought back smartly. Harsh Dubey and Jaydev Unadkat delivered crucial breakthroughs, removing both Allen and Rahane early. Cameron Green was also run out cheaply, leaving KKR at 74/3 after six overs, with Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Rinku Singh tasked with rebuilding the innings.
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Earlier in the match, SRH posted a commanding 226/8, thanks to explosive contributions from Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, who added 82 runs for the opening wicket. Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy further strengthened the total with valuable knocks.
For KKR, Blessing Muzarabani stood out with the ball, picking up four wickets, while Vaibhav Arora chipped in with two. Despite Allen’s early fireworks, KKR now face a challenging chase against a strong SRH total.
