Kolkata Knight Riders opener Finn Allen said a brief spell out of the playing XI helped him ease self-imposed pressure and rediscover his enjoyment for batting after his explosive 35-ball 93 powered KKR to a crucial 29-run win over Gujarat Titans in the IPL on Saturday.

Allen smashed 10 sixes and four boundaries in a breathtaking knock that laid the foundation for KKR’s imposing 247 for two at Eden Gardens, keeping the defending champion alive in the playoff race.

Reflecting on his turnaround in form, the New Zealand batter admitted he had burdened himself with expectations earlier in the tournament.

“To be honest, at the start of the tournament, I was putting far too much pressure on myself to perform, I probably wasn’t enjoying batting as much as I should have because I was putting so much pressure on myself. Having those few games off really did me good, ” Allen said at the post-match press conference.

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Allen said stepping away from the side allowed him to reassess his approach mentally rather than technically.

“If I’m relaxed and enjoying myself, then I watch the ball harder, I’m in better positions and I’m a better cricketer for it. There’s no real pressure in sport. We’re very blessed to do what we do. The pressure was all me,” he said.

The aggressive opener, however, clarified that his measured start against GT was dictated more by conditions than a deliberate tactical shift.

“Today it was definitely tricky at the start and we knew that would be the case. Two of probably the best opening bowlers in the competition as well,” Allen said.

“If the ball’s there, I’ll always try and hit it for four or six. If it’s not, I just try to get off strike and not get out.”

Allen also reserved special praise for young teammate Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who struck an unbeaten 82 and shared a 95-run stand with him.

“Starboy, he’s an incredible player. For such a young guy to be heavily relied on by the team just shows how good he is.”

The win lifted KKR to 11 points from 12 matches, though it still needs victories in its remaining two league games to stay in contention for a playoff berth.

Published on May 17, 2026