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05/08 13:09 CDT Allen's 47-ball century hurries Kolkata to 8-wicket win over
Delhi in IPL
Allen's 47-ball century hurries Kolkata to 8-wicket win over Delhi in IPL
NEW DELHI (AP) --- Finn Allen's 47-ball century against Delhi Capitals rushed
Kolkata Knight Riders to their fourth straight win in the Indian Premier League
on Friday.
Allen finally struck form with an unbeaten 100 including 10 sixes and five
boundaries, as Kolkata cruised to 147-2 in 14.2 overs for a thumping
eight-wicket win.
Delhi struggled on a slow pitch and was restricted to 142-8 despite opening
batters Pathum Nissanka (50) and Lokesh Rahul (23) providing a decent start of
49 in the first five overs.
Kolkata was up to seventh in the table, three points off the top four. Delhi
was eighth and still mathematically in the playoffs race.
Allen accidentally ran out fellow opener and captain Ajinkya Rahane when his
shot deflected off Mitchell Starc's hand onto Rahane's stumps. But Allen made
up for it, and rewarded persistence after coming into the game with 110 runs
from six games.
"I've been working on having more strings in my bow," Allen said. "I've got a
few starts, frustrating not to carry on. Nice to have some personal success.
Sometimes being left out changes your perspective. Allows time for mental
refresh. I was putting too much pressure on myself."
The New Zealander reached a half-century off 32 balls and the second fifty off
just 15. His batting partner, million dollar signing Cameroon Green, was
content to feed Allen the strike and watch the fireworks.
When Kolkata was on the brink of victory and Allen was on 94, Green teed up his
teammate who smashed Mukesh Kumar with his 10th six to reach his hundred and
clinch the win.
Green was unbeaten on 33 off 27 balls.
"I knew I'd be the most hated player in Kolkata if I didn't help him get the
ton," Green said.
Delhi was put in to bat, lost wickets in clusters, and slumped to 89-5 in the
11th over. That included the key dismissal of Nissanka, stumped after reaching
50.
Kolkata spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy frustrated Delhi by
bowling a combined eight overs for just 45 runs.
"We were short on runs," Delhi skipper Axar Patel said. "We lost five wickets
in two-three overs and lost momentum."
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
