Finn Allen passes KKR Eden Gardens audition with flying colours ahead of IPL 2026

4 hours ago 29

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were the only team to bid for Finn Allen at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction. A franchise professional, the New Zealand opener didn’t attract many bidders in Abu Dhabi.

Perhaps some franchises weren’t sold on Allen’s domination in the Major League Cricket or Big Bash League because he doesn’t play international cricket often. In the entire year of 2025, Allen played just 5 T20Is.

KKR’s move pays off

But KKR went for him. At just INR 2 crore, the destructive opener was an exceptional buy. He wasn’t bought because he’d average 50, but to kill the game in the powerplay itself every once in a while.

3 months later, KKR’s punt has proved to be correct. Allen just smashed the fastest hundred in T20 World Cup history. What makes it better is that the knock came in a pressure match, a semifinal, and at KKR’s home ground, Eden Gardens.

Allen just gave a teaser of the movie that might unfold in the IPL 2026. He just didn’t start the chase in emphatic fashion, but was the one who finished it. On what was a great batting track, Allen required a mere 33 balls to register a hundred.

The 26-year-old has not just had 5 matches in India before the T20 World Cup, but has excelled at every venue he’s played. Barring once, he’s crossed the 20-run mark in every innings. Both of the highest scores, 100 and 84, are unbeaten.

Finn Allen eager for Eden Gardens return

After his blistering knock, Allen was asked about returning to the venue in 3 weeks’ time for KKR. The opener was eager to return to Eden Gardens, especially if he bats at the surface rolled out in the South Africa vs New Zealand semifinal.

It was the first time Allen was playing in Kolkata, but he had watched the match between India and the West Indies and even credited the last T20I he played against India in Kerala on January 31. That was also a black soil pitch, and Allen did well there, scoring 80 off 38.

“I’ll be pretty happy to bat on that wicket (for KKR) a bit more often. It’s the first time I’ve played in Kolkata as well. I got that last game against India (5-match series earlier) on black soil to have a look at what the pitch is like. That was really helpful going into this game,” Allen responded.