Kolkata, India — March 5, 2026
New Zealand stormed into the T20 World Cup 2026 final after a dominant nine-wicket victory over South Africa, powered by a historic century from Finn Allen. The Kiwi opener smashed a record-breaking hundred in just 33 balls, the fastest century in T20 World Cup history.
Allen’s explosive innings, combined with a strong partnership with Tim Seifert, helped New Zealand chase down a target of 170 runs in only 12.5 overs, sealing a convincing win in the semi-final.
Finn Allen Creates T20 World Cup History
Playing at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Allen delivered one of the most remarkable knocks in T20 World Cup history. The New Zealand opener reached his century in 33 balls, surpassing the previous record held by Chris Gayle, who scored a 47-ball hundred against England in the 2016 T20 World Cup.
Allen’s innings also surpassed the previous fastest century by a New Zealand player in T20 internationals, previously held by Glenn Phillips, who scored a 46-ball hundred against West Indies in 2020.
Major Milestone in T20 International Cricket
Allen’s century now ranks as the joint third-fastest century in T20 international cricket.
Players with 33-ball centuries include:
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Finn Allen (New Zealand)
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Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (Namibia)
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Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe)
The fastest centuries in T20 international history remain:
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Sahil Chauhan (Estonia) – 27 balls
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Muhammad Farhad (Türkiye) – 29 balls
Allen also set another milestone by recording the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup knockout match, finishing unbeaten on 100 runs.
The previous record was held by Tillakaratne Dilshan, who scored 96 against West Indies in the 2009 semi-final*.
Additionally, Allen became the third New Zealand player to score a century in T20 World Cup history, joining:
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Brendon McCullum (123)
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Glenn Phillips (104)
How the Match Unfolded
Earlier in the match, South Africa posted 169/8 in 20 overs, with Marco Jansen delivering a strong batting performance.
In response, New Zealand’s opening pair Tim Seifert and Finn Allen dominated from the start. Both batters scored half-centuries and shared a century partnership, setting the platform for a rapid chase.
New Zealand finished the match at 173/1 in just 12.5 overs, completing one of the most emphatic wins in the tournament.
New Zealand Reach Second T20 World Cup Final
The victory sends New Zealand into their second T20 World Cup final. The team previously reached the final in 2021, where they finished as runners-up.
With momentum on their side after Allen’s record-breaking innings, New Zealand will now prepare for the T20 World Cup 2026 final, where they will aim to capture their first title in the tournament’s history.
