Finn Allen of New Zealand scored the fastest century in T20 World Cup history in Kolkata on Wednesday as his team crushed South Africa by nine wickets to advance to the final.
New Zealand raced home with 7.1 overs remaining as Allen, chasing 170 to win the first semi-final, hit an undefeated 100 off just 33 balls, smashing Chris Gayle’s previous record of 47 balls.
At Eden Gardens, Allen went on a rampage, hitting the winning runs and reaching his hundred with a yell of joy after hitting two fours, two sixes, and a four off consecutive balls.
Tim Seifert scored 58 in a 117-run opening partnership with Allen in just 9.1 overs to set up the decisive victory. In a vicious demonstration of controlled power hitting, Allen hammered eight sixes and ten fours while Seifert smashed two sixes and seven fours.
New Zealand chose to field first, and spinners Cole McConchie and Rachin Ravindra both grabbed two wickets to restrict South Africa to 169/8.
South Africa, who finished second in 2024 under the leadership of Aiden Markram, had won seven straight games but had fallen to 77/5 until Marco Jansen scored an undefeated 55 to give the total some dignity.
Seifert’s fifty came off Lungi Ngidi and Allen reached his half-century off just 19 balls. South Africa’s only success came when Kagiso Rababa bowled Seifert in the tenth over.
Prior to Tristan Stubbs (29) and Jansen scoring 73 for South Africa, spinners Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie each claimed two wickets. In his 30-ball knock, Jansen hit five sixes and two fours.
Dewald Brevis avoided the hat-trick, before McConchie’s off-spin struck first in the second over, dismissing Quinton De Kock for ten and Ryan Rickelton on the following ball.
Daryl Mitchell caught Markram in the deep for 18 off left-arm spinner Ravindra. Five balls later, Mitchell took another catch at long-on after David Miller was hit for a six by Ravindra.
When Jimmy Neesham cut short Brevis’s knock on 34, South Africa had lost half of their team in 10.2 overs.
Stubbs was bowled by Ferguson, but Jansen smashed him for six to achieve his fifty. Pacer Matt Henry took 2/34 after returning only on Tuesday night following his child’s birth.
In the final on Sunday in Ahmedabad, either India or England will face New Zealand, who advanced to the semi-finals based on net run rate and are aiming for their first World Cup victory.
