Opener Finn Allen has long been thought of as New Zealand’s hardest cricket ball batter, and his performance in leading his team to the T20 World Cup final demonstrated why.
In the semi-final, he brutally destroyed a top-tier South African bowling attack with a record-breaking 33-ball century that included eight sixes and ten fours.
As New Zealand chased down 170 in just 12.5 overs on Wednesday, Allen destroyed Chris Gayle’s 2016 T20 World Cup century mark of 47 balls.
Allen and New Zealand know they can defeat anyone on their day and are just one victory away from winning their first T20 World Cup.
Allen’s powerful physique makes him a formidable presence at the crease, drawing comparisons to the legendary Australian opener Matthew Hayden.
Only once before in the competition did Allen, who was born in Auckland, show off his incredible talent: in a 10-wicket thrashing of the UAE in a group match, he scored an undefeated 84 off 50 balls.
In the most aggressive manner possible, Allen hit two fours, two sixes, and another four off consecutive balls from Marco Jansen to reach his hundred against South Africa.
The 26-year-old Allen debuted in March 2021. His power hitting became well-known in 2024 when he scored 137 off 62 balls, including 16 sixes, against Pakistan in a Twenty20 match in Dunedin. He scored his third T20 international century in 61 games at Eden Gardens, where he remained undefeated.
New Zealand, the perennial underdogs, advanced to the semi-finals based on net run rate, but they are aiming for their first World Cup in any white-ball version.
On Sunday, they will play the reigning champions, India, at the 132,000-seater Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
