Relentless New Zealand rode on a record 33-ball century from opener Finn Allen to see off South Africa by nine wickets and storm into the World T20 Cup final in Kolkata on Wednesday. Chasing 170 in just 12.5 overs, Allen stunned the entire South African side by smashing 10 fours and eight sixes.The century, the fastest in T20 World Cup history, was a display of sheer power and timing rarely seen at the Eden Gardens. Allen’s front-foot dominance and impeccable stroke selection saw him clear the rope consistently, with the last 24 runs – from 76 to 100 – coming off just five deliveries from Marc Jansen, whose spell of 2.5 for 53 runs turned into a nightmare.
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Led by Mitchell Santner, New Zealand never looked like losing. Their spinners laid the groundwork to restrict the Proteas to a sub-par 169 for 8. Cole McConchie (2/9) and Rachin Ravindra (2/29) took advantage of the early grip of the Eden track to dismantle the top order with precision, while Tristan Stubbs (29 off 24) and Jansen (503)-74* rescued the Eden riders. partnership for the sixth wicket after South Africa slumped to 77/5. Jansen’s innings featured five towering sixes, many of which landed deep into the stands, providing some respectability overall.Allen and Tim Seifert then stole the show. Seifert scored 58 off 33 balls and produced a blistering 117-run opening stand with Allen in just nine overs. The pair hit 13 boundaries and six sixes to effectively end the match in the power play. Seifert reached his fifty off 33 balls, while Allen completed his half-century in just 19 deliveries despite taking a short medical time-out.The Eden track, which had been a bit slower earlier in the day, became perfect for the stroke play as the dew settled in and the Kiwi openers made great money. Allen’s ability to pick a length and bowl 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 seized control and the chase ended with 7.1 overs to spare.The victory marked New Zealand’s second T20 World Cup final after their summit clash in 2021 in the United Arab Emirates. If India beat England in Mumbai on Thursday, the final will be a repeat of last year’s Champions Trophy final.It was a frustrating night for South Africa. Despite Jansen’s heroic 54* and Stubbs’ contribution, the Proteas were decimated by a lethal combination of spin in the middle overs and Allen’s gutsy batting. Dewald Brevis (34 off 27) and Aiden Markram (18) failed to anchor the innings and a top-order collapse left the side chasing shadows. Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Corbin Bosch struggled to contain the Kiwi openers while Jansen’s earlier misfire with the ball compounded the misery.
