In a stunning display of power hitting, New Zealand’s Finn Allen smashed the fastest century in T20 World Cup history, propelling his side to a dominant nine-wicket victory over South Africa in the semi-final at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Chasing 170 for victory, Allen reached his century off just 33 balls, shattering the previous record of 47 balls set by Chris Gayle. His blistering knock, which included 8 sixes and 10 fours, saw New Zealand chase down the target in just 12.5 overs, with 7.1 overs to spare.
Allen was ably supported by Tim Seifert, who contributed 58 runs in a fiery 117-run opening partnership. Seifert’s knock included 7 fours and 2 sixes, while Allen’s explosive innings set the crowd alight. The pair’s rapid start left South Africa with little room to recover.
South Africa, who had been unbeaten in the tournament, elected to bat first and were restricted to 169-8 by New Zealand’s spinners. Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie both took two wickets, including early breakthroughs that left South Africa reeling at 77-5. Marco Jansen’s unbeaten 55 helped South Africa recover somewhat, but it was a mere consolation in the face of New Zealand’s crushing chase.
Allen’s half-century came off just 19 balls, and he finished the job with a roar, hitting a series of boundaries to seal the win. With this emphatic victory, New Zealand now advances to the final, where they will face either India or England, both vying for a spot at the final in Ahmedabad.
