A ruthless New Zealand rode on a record-breaking 33-ball century from opener Finn Allen to outclass South Africa by nine wickets and storm into the T20 World Cup final in Kolkata on Wednesday. Allen smashed 10 fours and eight sixes to chase down 170 in just 12.5 overs, leaving the entire South African side stunned.The century, the fastest in T20 World Cup history, was a display of sheer power and timing rarely seen at Eden Gardens. Allen’s front-foot dominance and impeccable shot selection saw him clear the rope consistently, with the last 24 runs—from 76 to 100—coming off just five deliveries from Marco Jansen, whose 2.5-over spell for 53 runs turned into a nightmare.
New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, never looked like losing. Their spinners laid the foundation, restricting the Proteas to a below-par 169 for 8. Cole McConchie (2/9) and Rachin Ravindra (2/29) exploited the early grip of the Eden track, dismantling the top order with precision, while Tristan Stubbs (29 off 24) and Jansen (54* off 30) rescued the innings, adding a 73-run sixth-wicket partnership after South Africa slumped to 77/5. Jansen’s innings featured five towering sixes, with many landing deep into the stands, providing some respectability to the total.Allen and Tim Seifert then stole the show. Seifert scored 58 off 33 balls, putting on a whirlwind 117-run opening stand with Allen in just nine overs. The pair hit 13 boundaries and six sixes, effectively ending the contest inside the powerplay. Seifert reached his fifty off 33 balls, while Allen completed his half-century in just 19 deliveries, despite taking a brief medical timeout.The Eden track, slightly slower earlier in the day, became perfect for stroke-play as dew settled in, and the Kiwi openers capitalised brilliantly. Allen’s ability to pick the length and muscle the ball to all parts of the ground left South Africa shell-shocked. By the time he brought up his record century, New Zealand had already seized control, with the chase wrapped up with 7.1 overs to spare.This victory marked New Zealand’s second T20 World Cup final appearance, following their 2021 summit clash in the UAE. If India beat England in Mumbai on Thursday, the final will be a repeat fixture of last year’s Champions Trophy final.For South Africa, it was a frustrating night. Despite Jansen’s heroic 54* and Stubbs’ contribution, the Proteas were undone by a lethal combination of spin in the middle overs and Allen’s audacious power hitting. Dewald Brevis (34 off 27) and Aiden Markram (18) could not anchor the innings, and the top order’s collapse left the side chasing shadows. Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Corbin Bosch struggled to contain the Kiwi openers, while Jansen’s earlier misfiring with the ball compounded the misery.
