Finn Allen smashed the fastest T20 World Cup hundred, from just 33 balls, as New Zealand cruised into the final after ending South Africa’s unbeaten run in the tournament with an astonishing nine-wicket thrashing in Kolkata.
South Africa had won their first seven matches at this year’s competition, including a seven-wicket rout of New Zealand in their first-round meeting on Valentine’s Day as they extended their head-to-head against the Kiwis to 5-0 in T20 World Cups at that point.
But Aiden Markram’s side missed out on successive finals – they finished runners-up to India in the Caribbean in 2024 – after New Zealand romped to a target of 170 in just 12.5 overs off the back of a rip-roaring opening stand of 117 from 55 balls between Allen (100no off 33) and Tim Seifert (58 off 33) at Eden Gardens.
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Watch Allen hit FIVE boundaries in a row off South Africa’s Corbin Bosch during the Black Caps’ nine-wicket victory
The carnage included Allen crunching five boundaries in a row off Corbin Bosch in the sixth over as the Black Caps cantered to 84-0 in the powerplay and then five more on the trot off Marco Jansen in the 13th, with the match-winning four taking him to three figures.
West Indies legend Chris Gayle held the previous record for the fastest Men’s T20 World Cup century, a 47-ball effort against England a decade ago, but Allen, who smoked 10 fours and eight sixes, obliterated that.
Allen smashed Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest Men’s T20 World Cup century
Jansen’s 27-ball half-century, which rallied South Africa from 77-5 inside 11 overs, came in vain as New Zealand advance to Sunday’s showpiece at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and ensured their opponents’ wait for a first World Cup title goes on.
The Black Caps will face the winners of Thursday’s semi-final between England and India, both of whom have won the T20 World Cup twice before.
New Zealand’s best result to date is runners-up to Australia in the UAE in 2021 but they now have a chance to better that after beating South Africa for the fourth time in succession in a knockout match at an ICC event, after the 2011 50-over World Cup semi-final, 2015 quarter-final and then last year’s ICC Champions Trophy semi.
New Zealand thrash South Africa in Kolkata
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New Zealand spinner Cole McConchie removed Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton in the second over of Wednesday’s semi-final at Eden Gardens
The Kiwis enjoyed a dream start after winning the toss against South Africa, with spinner Cole McConchie (2-9) striking from successive balls in the second over, removing Quinton de Kock (10) caught at mid-on and Ryan Rickelton (0 pouched at short third.
Markram (18) and David Miller (6) were unable to properly punish their opponents after both were dropped on three, holing out in the deep off Rachin Ravindra (2-29), while Dewald Brevis sliced to cover after smoking two sixes in his 34 off 27 deliveries.
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South Africa skipper Aiden Markram was out to Rachin Ravindra for 18 after being dropped by the Black Caps man on three
Jansen and Tristan Stubbs (29 off 24) revived the innings with a sixth-wicket stand of 73 from 48 balls and the former, who clubbed fives maximums in his second T20 international fifty, ended not out after Matt Henry’s twin strikes off Bosch (2) and Kagiso Rabada (0) in the final over.
South Africa needed early wickets to give New Zealand jitters but a chance was blown in the second over with De Kock failing to catch a Seifert top edge after rushing from his wicketkeeping position to fine leg and telling fielder Brevis to stay out of the way.
Brevis was arguably in a better position to claim the ball.
South Africa’s Marco Jansen scored a 27-ball fifty in vain
Seifert, on 11 at the time of De Kock’s non-catch, nailed Jansen for back-to-back boundaries in an 18-run third over and when Allen went berserk in Bosch’s 22-run sixth, the game looked over already.
Just under seven overs later it was done, keeping alive the prospect of another New Zealand vs England World Cup final, seven years after their 50-over epic at Lords.
Allen hundred ‘special to watch’
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner:
“It was special to watch [Allen and Seifert]. We were very happy with a target of 170 going into our innings, but you never know.
“They went out there, played their game and took it on, which was cool to see. And then Finn carried on – 33 balls for a ton is not too bad!”
South Africa captain Aiden Markram:
“To get up to 170 was a great effort, to be fair, and at the halfway point we felt like we had a sniff. But then someone plays an innings like that [Allen’s].
“Massive credit to his knock and Tim Seifert’s knock, to kill the game as early as they did. Unfortunately it was just a bad night for us tonight.”
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New Zealand’s Finn Allen says that his T20 Semi Final perfomance, which helped his side claim victory over South Africa was ‘pretty up there’ in his best performances
Player of the match, New Zealand’s Finn Allen:
“We wanted to try and put them on the back foot early.
“When Tim [Seifert] is going like that, it makes it easy for me… I can just watch and hit it when it’s in my area, and we got off to an absolute flier.
“It’s easy in a semi-final to stay up for the fight – it was a huge game for us – and we enjoyed it out there together.
“You take the positives from this game, celebrate that little moment of success and then we’ve got a final to win on Sunday. We look forward to that.”
Watch England vs India in the second T20 World Cup semi-final, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 1pm, Thursday (1.30pm first ball).
2026 Men’s T20 World Cup knockouts
All times UK and Ireland; all games live on Sky Sports
Semi-finals
Wednesday March 4
Thursday March 5
- England vs India (Mumbai, 1.30pm)
Final
Sunday March 8
- New Zealand vs TBC (Ahmedabad, 1.30pm)
