Kolkata Knight Riders made it four wins in a row in IPL 2026 with a dominant 8-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals in Delhi on May 8.
Finn Allen’s breathtaking unbeaten hundred off just 47 balls sealed the chase with 34 balls to spare, making it one of the most complete performances KKR have put in this season.
KKR Spinners Strangle Delhi Capitals in the Middle Overs
Delhi Capitals started reasonably well. Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul gave the side a solid powerplay, reaching 55 runs for 1 wicket in six overs. Nissanka in particular looked fluent, scoring 50 off just 29 balls with five fours and three sixes before being stumped off Anukul Roy in the 11th over.
That dismissal opened the floodgates for KKR’s spinners. Roy, Sunil Narine, and Varun Chakravarthy took firm control of the middle overs, turning the match into a grinding exercise for Delhi’s batters. Between overs 12 and 16, Delhi managed just 11 runs in 30 balls — a scoring rate that no IPL team had matched in nearly two decades during that phase of play.
Roy was the standout bowler. He stumped Nissanka with a slower, wider delivery and clean bowled Tristan Stubbs shortly after to finish with 2 for 31. Narine was even more miserly, returning figures of 1 for 17 in four overs. Kartik Tyagi chipped in with 2 for 25.
Ashutosh Sharma provided some late rescue with 39 off 28 balls, including a six off a reverse sweep in the 19th over. But Delhi could only manage 142 for 8, a total that never felt competitive on the night.
Finn Allen Dismantles Delhi With a Stunning Hundred
KKR’s chase began with a couple of early hiccups. Captain Ajinkya Rahane was run out for 13 after a deflection off Mitchell Starc’s fingers hit the stumps, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi was bowled by Axar Patel for just 1. KKR were 31 for 2 at that point.
Then Allen took over completely.
He came into this innings without a century in the IPL across seven previous appearances. He left with one. Allen attacked Delhi’s spinners from the outset, scoring 73 of his runs off just 31 spin deliveries at a strike rate of 235. Kuldeep Yadav, bowling to his former side, went for 41 runs in 3 overs at an economy rate of 13.66. Vipraj Nigam was even more expensive, conceding 34 off his two overs.
Allen hit 5 fours and 10 sixes in his knock. His final six, off the last ball needed to win, also brought up his century. He finished unbeaten on 100 off 47 balls at a strike rate of 212.76.
Cameron Green gave solid support at the other end, scoring 33 off 27 balls as the two put on an unbroken 116-run partnership for the third wicket.
SUGGESTED READ: Bhuvneshwar Kumar Creates IPL History: First Pacer to Play 200 Matches
KKR Move Closer to Playoffs With Fourth Straight Win
This result keeps KKR firmly in the conversation for a playoff spot despite an inconsistent start to the season. Four wins on the trot is exactly the form of momentum a side needs heading into the back half of the tournament.
For Delhi Capitals, the concerns are mounting. Axar Patel‘s form with the bat remains a worry — he scored just 11 off 22 balls. Kuldeep’s struggles continued. Sitting at number 8 in the standings, DC need results urgently.
KKR, meanwhile, look dangerous. And Allen looks unstoppable. The Knight Riders next play Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 13, while DC face the Punjab Kings on May 11.
Follow JeetWin Sports for the latest IPL news and updates.
