Finn Allen: A World Cup Special

It was a Wednesday evening at Eden Gardens. In New Zealand, it was the early hours of the morning. How many truly invested fans witnessed Finn Allen's surreal batting?

"Hopefully they're proud," Allen said of his parents, who were likely watching.

At 9:56 PM IST, when Allen struck his final boundary, South African shoulders dropped. The New Zealand dugout erupted. In the middle, Rachin Ravindra raised his arms in celebration before embracing the opener. Allen had just used a World Cup semifinal stage to smash the fastest T20I century against a full-member team in tournament history: a 33-ball hundred.

The numbers tell the story: 10 fours, eight sixes—88 of his 100 runs in boundaries—and just three dot balls. To call it a special knock is an understatement.

New Zealand perhaps already had a foot in the final by the innings break. South Africa's wobbly start left too much to cover, despite Marco Jansen's face-saving 55. Their total of 169/8 always looked vulnerable on a fast outfield and skiddy surface.

Five overs into the chase, New Zealand were 62/0. At that stage, Tim Seifert was the aggressor, with 41 of those runs. Allen had faced just nine balls. But when Aiden Markram brought on Corbin Bosch to finish the Powerplay, the switch flicked.

Bosch's first ball—a length delivery outside off—was smashed over backward point. Allen decided to swing for the fences, pushing into a gear somewhere above the stratosphere. New Zealand ended the Powerplay at 84/0, having wiped out nearly half the target. Allen had overtaken his partner after a 22-run over.

The torment continued. Keshav Maharaj, returning from rest, was not spared. In the ninth over, Allen reached a 19-ball fifty, then rocked back to pull a not-so-short ball deep into the square leg stands.

Kagiso Rabada broke Seifert's stumps, offering South Africa a fleeting moment of respite—a brief pause from retrieving balls from beyond the boundary. It didn't last.

From the halfway mark, Ravindra had the 'best seat in the house'. He watched Allen flay Markram's bowlers, fields, and eventually his spirit. New Zealand needed 46 off 60 balls; they took just 16.

Allen picked lengths early, setting up for shots that looked absurd in real-time. Against Maharaj, he went deep into his crease and sent a good-length ball sailing over long-on.

Afterwards, asked what was going through his mind during the carnage, a quick "not much" said it all. As he reached his century with the winning shot in the 13th over, 39,000 fans cheered.

Turns out, they did have a dog in this fight. For Allen, it was an unforgettable night, carrying his team into an ICC final. For the galleries, it was a tantalising teaser—a glimpse of what could come in less than a month, when he swaps the black jersey for purple and gold.