Kolkata Knight Riders’ Finn Allen celebrates his century (PTI Image)
Ajinkya Rahane spoke about the all-round performance by Kolkata Knight Riders after their eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals, praising Finn Allen’s batting heroics and the consistency of his bowling unit. KKR registered their fourth successive win in IPL 2026 after first restricting Delhi to 142/8 with a disciplined spin display, before Allen’s unbeaten 100 off 47 balls ended the chase in ruthless fashion.
He watches
All is not well with Suryakumar Yadav’s wrist? | Exclusive visuals
Rahane said he was particularly happy to see Allen turn a tough start to the season into a game-winning knockout. “First of all, let me say I’m really happy for Finn Allen. He was struggling the first four or five games, he was working hard, but the way he batted tonight was fantastic,” Rahane said. It also highlighted how KKR’s bowlers set the tone for the win, especially in the middle overs as Delhi lost control after a promising start from Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul. “But I want to praise the bowlers again. We have done well because of them. Especially the ones who are getting better over the middle and over, they have been doing that consistently,” he added. Rahane reserved special praise for the spin trio
Sunil Narine
,
Varun Chakaravarthy
And Anukul Roy, who combined to stifle Delhi’s scoring rate and cause the collapse.
“Our players have been fantastic. Narine, Varun and Anukul Roy, they understand the conditions very well. They make my job easy as a captain,” Rahane said. He also stressed the influence of the support staff in shaping KKR’s playing and bowling standards. “Our fielding coach was very strict with us. That’s why you see the difference in catching the ball and playing on the ground. Credit also goes to him,” he noted. Rahane also spoke about the team’s mentality and discipline in pressure situations. “It’s all about staying in the moment. What we discuss in the dugout and the locker room is simple, just focus on the next ball. That has helped us,” he said. Regarding Naren’s role, Rahane added: “You don’t have to tell him much. He is always ready. Even in practice, he learns and shares his experiences. I am lucky as a leader.” He also praised bowling coaches Tim Southee and Dwayne Bravo along with young performers like
Kartik Tyagi
And Anukul Roy for stepping up. “Overall, as a bowling unit, we are doing really well. But it is important that we remain consistent. One game at a time,” Rahane concluded.