The retained opener
Allen is a right-handed opener who attacks from the first ball, and he was one of only four players the Knight Riders kept before the Season 5 auction — alongside Jason Holder, Matthew Tromp and Sunil Narine. That tells you how the franchise values him.
His most famous innings came in January 2024, when he smashed 137 off 62 balls against Pakistan in Dunedin, the highest T20I score by a New Zealander at the time. He has also played in the Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and in Major League Cricket for San Francisco Unicorns, where his 2025 season included one of the fastest hundreds in the league's history. In the ILT20, his job is simple: win the powerplay. If Allen gets going, the Knight Riders' total takes care of itself.
| Profile | Detail |
|---|---|
| Role | Batter |
| Team | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders |
| Batting | Right-handed bat |
| Bowling | Right-arm off-break |
| Born | 22 April 1999, Auckland, New Zealand |
Career so far
Allen came through New Zealand's age-group system, playing at the 2018 Under-19 World Cup, and made his international debut in 2021. He has since played more than 50 T20Is for New Zealand, with a strike rate among the best of any opener in the world.
His franchise career has been just as fast-moving: Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL, San Francisco Unicorns in MLC — where he hit 151 off 51 balls in June 2025, one of the great T20 innings — and the Knight Riders in both the Caribbean and Abu Dhabi. He bowls right-arm off-break on occasion, but his value is entirely with the bat: a powerplay batter who can end a game in six overs.
The batting around him
Everything in this batting line-up starts with the opener. Munro is the left-handed partner who can match Allen's powerplay hitting, Williamson is the anchor at number three, and Fletcher and Pepper add depth behind them.
That structure only works if Allen fires. When he does, the middle order — Moeen Ali, Gulbadin Naib and Sunil Narine — can play with freedom and the total climbs past 180. When he falls early, the side leans on Williamson to rebuild. Allen's retention before the auction was the franchise's clearest statement: the batting starts with him.
What’s next
Allen's season starts on 22 November against Dubai Capitals in Dubai, and the Knight Riders' first home game follows four days later against MI Emirates in Abu Dhabi. The full list of every ILT20 fixture is on the ILT20 Schedule.
- Match 3 — Dubai Capitals: Sunday 22 November 2026, evening session, Dubai.
- Match 7 — MI Emirates: Thursday 26 November 2026, evening session, Abu Dhabi.
- Match 11 — Sharjah Warriorz: Sunday 29 November 2026, afternoon session, Abu Dhabi.
- Match 13 — MI Emirates: Monday 30 November 2026, evening session, Abu Dhabi.
- Match 15 — Desert Vipers: Wednesday 2 December 2026, afternoon session, Abu Dhabi.
- Match 17 — Gulf Giants: Thursday 3 December 2026, evening session, Dubai.
- Match 19 — Gulf Giants: Saturday 5 December 2026, evening session, Abu Dhabi.
- Match 24 — Sharjah Warriorz: Wednesday 9 December 2026, evening session, Sharjah.
- Match 27 — Desert Vipers: Saturday 12 December 2026, evening session, Dubai.
- Match 30 — Dubai Capitals: Monday 14 December 2026, evening session, Abu Dhabi.
- Playoffs: Qualifier 1 on Tuesday 16 December, the Eliminator on Wednesday 17 December, Qualifier 2 on Friday 18 December, and the final on Sunday 20 December in Dubai.
Follow every ILT20 result as it happens on SialTV, with the points table updated after every match day.
Frequently asked questions
What is Finn Allen's highest T20I score?
137 off 62 balls against Pakistan in Dunedin in January 2024 — the highest T20I score by a New Zealander at the time.
Was Finn Allen retained by the Knight Riders?
Yes. He was one of four players kept before the Season 5 auction, alongside Jason Holder, Matthew Tromp and Sunil Narine.
When is the Knight Riders' first match of ILT20 Season 5?
Allen's season as the retained opener starts on match 3 against Dubai Capitals on Sunday 22 November 2026, in the evening session in Dubai.