Finn Allen's Record-Breaking Century Powers New Zealand to T20 World Cup Final

Kathmandu. With a spectacular and record-breaking century from opener Finn Allen, New Zealand has entered the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. New Zealand secured a place in the title clash by defeating South Africa by 9 wickets in the first semi-final match held at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday.

New Zealand comfortably chased down the target of 170 runs set by South Africa in just 12.5 overs, losing only 1 wicket. Finn Allen, who became the hero of New Zealand's victory, played an unforgettable innings in cricket history. He set a new record for the fastest century in men's T20 World Cup history by scoring a century off just 33 balls.

While chasing the target, New Zealand's Finn Allen and Tim Seifert maintained pressure on the South African bowlers from the start. Seifert completed his half-century off 28 balls, while Allen reached the half-century mark in just 19 balls. Allen continued his aggressive batting and reached his century on the 33rd ball.

Earlier, South Africa, batting first, scored 169 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. Although this total was a moderate score for South Africa, it proved too low against New Zealand's aggressive batting.

New Zealand registered a massive 9-wicket victory with 43 balls remaining. With this win, New Zealand became the first team to reach the final, while South Africa's World Cup journey ended in the semi-finals.