A record ton by Finn Allen powered New Zealand past South Africa and into the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Scorecard
In a clutch semi-final match at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Wednesday, New Zealand came up with a supercharged performance to snap the Proteas’ unbeaten streak in the tournament. After restricting South Africa to 169/8, the Black Caps raced to 173/1 in 12.5 overs to complete a dominant nine-wicket win.
Allen was a man on a mission as he scored an unbeaten 100 off just 33 balls, the fastest century in Men’s T20 World Cups. New Zealand will appear in their second T20 World Cup final on Sunday. They last played the summit clash in 2021.
Electing to field first, New Zealand came into the crucial contest with a plan.The Black Caps deployed off-spinner Cole McConchie in the second over to test the South African top order. And the gamble paid off immediately as he dismissed left-handers Quinton De Kock and Ryan Rickelton off successive deliveries to peg South Africa back to 12/2.
In fine form earlier in the tournament, captain Aiden Markram could not steer them clear out of danger. After a 43-run partnership with Dewald Brevis, Markram fell to a superb diving catch by Daryl Mitchell off Rachin Ravindra.
Brevis played a handy knock of 34 and seemed to have the measure of the surface, which was on the slower side. But he did not stay long enough either and ended up chipping the ball straight to cover off James Neesham.
Once reeling at 77/5, Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen dragged South Africa back on track with a 73-run partnership off 48 balls. Jansen and Stubbs got stuck into Neesham in the 18th over, plundering 22 runs off it to lend some much-needed momentum to the innings.
Jansen used his long levers and easy power to full effect, and brought up his half-century with back-to-back sixes against Lockie Ferguson. He hit five sixes and two fours to finish unbeaten on 55 off 30 balls.
It was McConchie (2/9) and left-arm spinner Ravindra (2/29) who had helped the Black Caps make early inroads. Pacer Matt Henry also claimed two wickets, while Lockie Ferguson and Neesham chipped in with a wicket each. The water-tight New Zealand bowling line-up kept South Africa in check almost through the innings, save the late charge by Jansen.
Chasing a tricky target of 170, New Zealand charged out of the blocks. The Black Caps have ridden their luck to score 84/0 in the first six overs. It is the second-highest powerplay score of this World Cup, only two behind India’s 86/1 against Namibia.
Tim Seifert and Finn Allen have already hit nine fours and five sixes and have put their team in the driver’s seat. Allen struck a six and four fours in succession against Corbin Bosch, piling 22 runs in the sixth over.
Even after the fielding restrictions came off, Seifert and Allen continued to press on.
Kagiso Rabada gave the Proteas the breakthrough as he go through Seifert’s defences. But Seifert had already played his part, scoring 58 for 33, with the help of seven fours and two sixes.
With Allen in a zone, he had an answer to everything South Africa threw at him. He muscled the ball all round the park, hitting eight sixes and 10 fours to bring up a century in 33 balls. The first fifty, off 19 balls, was already the joint fastest of this edition, but Allen astonishingly went up a gear, bringing up his second fifty in just 14 balls.
The previous record was held by Chris Gayle, who scored a 100 in 47 balls against England in 2016. Though New Zealand were already in charge, he took the team cantering past the finish line, with three fours and two sixes on the last five balls.
