Finn Allen's record ton puts New Zealand in final

It was deja vu all over again for South Africa, the most dominant side of the 2026 T20 World Cup, until the knockout stage arrived. At Eden Gardens, their old nemesis returned: the pressure, the occasion, and the crumbling under it. However, if there was a word that belonged to this night, it was 'crushed'. New Zealand, who only days ago had left their qualification fate in Sri Lanka's hands, turned streetwise and composed, taking charge of a big game with the tactical intelligence that defines their cricket. They march on to the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

This was nearly a mirror image of the group stage clash between these two sides 20 days ago, except the tables were turned dramatically. South Africa had won that encounter ruthlessly. Today, New Zealand denied them a return ticket to Ahmedabad. Finn Allen and Tim Seifert turned Eden Gardens into a personal playground, wiping out 84 runs of a 170-run target inside the Powerplay. The rest of the chase was pure showmanship. Allen plundered 10 fours and eight sixes in a 33-ball 100* – the fastest century in T20 World Cup history, shattering the previous Chris Gayle record by 14 balls. New Zealand won with a staggering 7.1 overs to spare.

The game was effectively won early when Mitchell Santner called correctly at the toss and his bowlers responded on a slightly dry surface. Cole McConchie, a late injury replacement retained as a specific match-up option, justified his selection – dismissing both left-handers Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton off successive deliveries in his only over to leave South Africa reeling at 12 for 2.

South Africa should have been in further trouble when Lockie Ferguson had Aiden Markram chipping straight to mid-wicket, where Rachin Ravindra put down a straightforward chance. Markram and Dewald Brevis responded with intent, plundering 17 off a James Neesham over to drag the Powerplay total to 48 for 2.

The momentum was short-lived. Ravindra atoned for his earlier lapse by drawing Markram into a horrible miscue, with Daryl Mitchell completing a tumbling catch at long on. David Miller, the man who had dug South Africa out of a similar hole against India, was immediately handed a lifeline when Glenn Phillips grassed a relatively straightforward chance at deep extra cover. But Miller couldn't survive that very Ravindra over. A cleverly disguised drop in pace did the job, the miscue finding long off.

When Brevis fell two balls later, South Africa were 77 for 5, and any semblance of hope was fast disappearing. Marco Jansen and Tristan Stubbs set about a measured rebuild, grinding to 113 for 5 at the end of the 16th over before finally cutting loose. They plundered 15 off Matt Henry, then turned their attention to Neesham in a brutal 22-run over that briefly suggested a competitive total was within reach.

But Lockie Ferguson had other ideas. He returned to bowl Stubbs with a sharp leg cutter, ending the partnership just as it threatened to become decisive. Jansen pressed on alone with remarkable composure – two sixes propelling him to a 27-ball half-century – yet he faced just a single delivery in the final over as South Africa fell well short of the 180-run psychological marker.

As it turned out, even another 50 runs might not have been enough. The New Zealand chase began at a canter – 19 off the first two overs. That was as close as Markram's men would come to stemming the tide. Allen and Seifert dismantled Jansen in the third over, then took 22 off Corbin Bosch to close out a Powerplay that had all but settled the contest.

Then it was all about the numbers. Seifert reached his half-century off 28 balls. Allen got there nine balls quicker in the very next over. Kagiso Rabada finally broke their 117-run stand in the 10th over, but the carnage was far from over. Allen blazed from 50 to 100 off just 14 balls, bringing up the milestone with the final scoring shot of the game.

Brief scores: South Africa 169/8 in 20 overs (Marco Jansen 55*; Rachin Ravindra 2-29, Cole McConchie 2-9) lost to New Zealand 173/1 in 12.5 overs (Finn Allen 100*, Tim Seifert 58) by 9 wickets.