T20 World Cup: Finn Allen’s 33-ball demolition puts New Zealand in final

If the dictionary needed a fresh example, it need look no further than what New Zealand did to South Africa in their T20 World Cup semi-final at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Wednesday (March 4). The Black Caps chased down 170 with 43 balls to spare, winning by nine wickets, as Finn Allen produced one of the greatest innings in T20 World Cup history — the fastest century the tournament has ever seen, off just 33 balls.

South Africa had walked into this semi-final unbeaten through seven matches, carrying the weight of favouritism and the psychological edge of a 5-0 all-time T20 World Cup record against the Black Caps, including a seven-wicket win in pool play just 18 days earlier. None of it mattered. In knockout cricket, past results are footnotes, and New Zealand tore up every last one of them.

The Proteas’ innings began shakily. Cole McConchie, used with the new ball in an attacking gamble by captain Mitchell Santner, struck twice in the second over — Quinton de Kock caught for 10, and Ryan Rickelton gone for a golden duck off consecutive deliveries. South Africa were 12 for 2, and the Eden Gardens crowd, sensing history, stirred.

Aiden Markram (18) and the dashing Dewald Brevis steadied things, adding 43 for the third wicket. Brevis looked threatening before Rachin Ravindra had him caught for 34 off 27 at the start of the 11th over. David Miller chipped in with a cameo before Ravindra struck again, and at 99 for 5, the innings was in danger of folding quietly.

It didn’t, thanks entirely to Marco Jansen. The tall all-rounder launched an extraordinary counter-attack — 55 off just 30 balls, cracking five sixes, rescuing South Africa from a total that might have been embarrassing. His sixth-wicket stand of 73 with Tristan Stubbs (29 off 24) was the only reason 169 appeared on the board. Matt Henry mopped up the tail with two wickets in a sharp final over, his yorker rearranging Corbin Bosch’s stumps to close proceedings.

The Chase

If the South African innings had its moments, New Zealand’s response was something else altogether — a controlled, clinical, barely-believable demolition. Allen and Tim Seifert strode out with intent and never let go. The powerplay produced 84 without loss, the second-highest opening six overs in a T20 World Cup knockout in history. By the time the fielding restrictions lifted, the match was already gone.

Seifert fell for 58 off 33 — seven fours, two sixes — bowled by Kagiso Rabada in the 10th over. By then, Allen had entered a dimension of his own. His first fifty came off 19 balls, joint-fastest of the tournament. His second fifty came off just 14 more. He finished on 100 not out off 33 balls — 10 fours, eight sixes, a strike rate of 303 — breaking Chris Gayle’s long-standing record of a 47-ball hundred set against England in 2016. He hit the winning runs at the same moment he brought up the century, launching Jansen flat over mid-off and letting out a roar into the Kolkata night.

Santner, watching from the dugout, could barely contain himself afterwards. “We were very happy with 170 going into the break, but in T20 you never know,” the New Zealand skipper said. “Wickets in the powerplay would have made it a challenge. But they took it on. And Finny just carried on. A 33-ball hundred is not bad.”

Not bad at all. South Africa’s bowlers had no answers. Jansen, the batting hero, went for 53 off 2.5 overs with the ball — the most runs conceded in an innings by a South African in T20 World Cup history. The Proteas’ unbeaten streak was over, their tournament done, their dream of a first world title deferred once again.

For New Zealand, Ahmedabad awaits. They will face either England or India in Monday’s final, aiming to go one better than the runners-up finish of 2021. If tonight was any indication, the rest of the world has been warned.