Finn Allen hits fastest century at a T20 World Cup as New Zealand crush South Africa by nine wickets to reach final.
Published On 4 Mar 2026
New Zealand stormed into the Twenty20 World Cup final with a nine-wicket demolition of South Africa in the first semifinal at the Eden Gardens.
Put into bat, South Africa recovered from a precarious 77-5 to post a competitive 169-8 after Marco Jansen led their recovery with a belligerent 55 not out.
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Finn Allen smashed an unbeaten 100 off 33 balls, however, and shared a 117-run opening stand with Tim Seifert (58) as New Zealand romped to their target in only 12.5 overs.
Allen’s achievement was the fastest century scored at a T20 cricket World Cup.
“We wanted to start well and put them on the back foot early,” Allen said. “It is easy for me when Tim [Seifert] is going like that. The way he batted got us off to an absolute flyer.
“It is easy in semifinals to stay up for the fight, and with Tim [Seifert] we keep each other in it, and we enjoy it out there together.”
Earlier, Jansen’s fifty came in response to the Kiwis’ spinners Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie taking two wickets each before Tristan Stubbs and Jansen put on 73 to rescue the innings at Kolkata, India’s Eden Gardens.
Stubbs (29) and Jansen, who hit two fours and five sixes in his 30-ball knock, helped set New Zealand a target of 170 to reach the final.
India successfully chased 196 against the West Indies on Sunday on the same ground.
South Africa were the only unbeaten team in the tournament, while New Zealand had edged into the semifinals on net run rate.
McConchie struck first in the second over with his off-spin to send back Quinton de Kock for 10 and Ryan Rickelton next ball, but Dewald Brevis avoided the hat-trick.
Aiden Markram was reprieved on three when Ravindra dropped him at mid-wicket off pace bowler Lockie Ferguson.
Left-arm spinner Ravindra made amends when he had the South Africa captain caught in the deep by Daryl Mitchell for 18.
David Miller was dropped on three by Glenn Phillips, but fell for six to Ravindra five balls later, with Mitchell again taking the catch at long-on.
South Africa had lost half their side in 10.2 overs when Jimmy Neesham cut short Brevis’s knock on 34.
Ferguson bowled Stubbs, but Jansen hit him for six to reach his fifty.
Pace bowler Matt Henry, who arrived back only on Tuesday night after going home for the birth of his child, took 2-34.
The bowling figures for South Africa will be ones to quickly forget, as the figures to focus on – and the moment to remember – belonged to Allen.
“You take the positives from this game, celebrate little moments of success,” Allen said. “Then we have a final to play on Sunday, and we look forward to that.”
Defending champions India take on two-time champions England in the second semifinal in Mumbai on Thursday, ahead of Sunday’s final.
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