New Zealand opener Finn Allen produced a stunning batting display to record the fastest century in Men’s T20 World Cup history on March 4, 2026, against South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Allen reached his hundred in just 33 balls, breaking the previous tournament record of 47 balls set by Chris Gayle. The explosive knock powered New Zealand into the 2026 T20 World Cup final.
The right-hander remained unbeaten on 100 runs, smashing 10 fours and eight sixes. His strike rate of 303.03 showed how dominant he was throughout the chase.
The milestone moment came in the 13th over. Allen hit a boundary off Marco Jansen to bring up his century and seal the win for New Zealand at the same time.
With that innings, Allen also set the record for the fastest T20I century against a Full Member nation. He went past Rohit Sharma’s previous mark of a 35-ball hundred.
Earlier, South Africa posted 169 for 8 after being put under pressure by New Zealand’s bowlers. Marco Jansen fought back with a late half-century to push the total close to 170.
New Zealand’s chase began at a furious pace. Allen and Tim Seifert added 117 runs for the opening wicket and completely shifted the momentum of the match.
Seifert played a strong supporting role with 58 runs off 33 balls. His aggressive start allowed Allen to continue attacking the South African bowlers from the other end.
The target was chased down in just 12.5 overs. New Zealand won by nine wickets with 43 balls to spare in one of the most one-sided semi-finals in T20 World Cup history.
The victory sent New Zealand into the tournament final in Ahmedabad. They will face the winner of the second semi-final between India and England.
Captain Mitchell Santner praised Allen’s knock after the game. He said the innings was “special to watch” and credited the opener for taking control early.
South Africa captain Aiden Markram admitted that the innings left his team with little chance. He said Allen’s batting “killed the game” before they could fight back.
Allen later credited the team’s preparation for the performance. He said practice sessions on black-soil pitches in India helped him understand the conditions.
He also thanked Seifert for the blazing start. Allen said the early momentum made it easier for him to keep attacking and finish the chase quickly.