IPL 2026: Indian fast bowler Navdeep Saini left Finn Allen stunned in Kolkata Knight Riders' intra-squad game on Friday. Transitioning from his purchase for Rs 2 crore by KKR, Allen gave the Ajinkya Rahane-led Purple Knights a flying start, chasing a target of 200 runs against Golden Knights, led by Rinku Singh. After a quickfire 23 off 10 balls, Saini rattled Allen's middle stump, dismissing him and shifting momentum.
The Kiwi batter tried to play a paddle scoop but was beaten by Navdeep's speed as the ball touched the stumps. Saini, unsold in the IPL auction last year, is currently serving as net bowler for KKR.
Watch the video here:
Finn Allen got out early but the trailer has been shown, the picture will be seen in the IPL match. pic.twitter.com/eYBvOwCHdO
— Ayush (@AyushBandhe) March 20, 2026
Continuing with Allen's form, in the 2026 T20 World Cup, he scored 298 runs in eight matches, averaging 49.66 and striking at 200. His achievements included an unbeaten hundred against South Africa in the semifinal—the fastest ton in the history of the mega event.
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Turning to the team's performance, Purple Knights defeated Golden Knights by six wickets, powered by Angkrish Raghuvanshi's hundred. Raghuvanshi smashed a hundred off just 55 balls, helping his team chase the target with four balls to spare.
Earlier in the match, Tim Seifert, Sarthak Ranjan, and skipper Rinku Singh's gritty knocks helped Golden Knights post a mammoth total of 199 runs. Seifert and Sarthak laid the foundation with 45 and 37 runs, respectively, before Rinku contributed 40 off 25 balls.
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Looking ahead, Kolkata Knight Riders will face Mumbai Indians in their tournament opener in Mumbai later this month. Following that, the team will return home to face Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, and Lucknow Super Giants.