NEW DELHI: Explosive opener Finn Allen has credited New Zealand’s recent tour of India as a key factor in their clinical run at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after he smashed a record century to power the Kiwis into the final.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Allen produced one of the most devastating knocks in World Cup history, smashing an unbeaten 100 off just 33 balls as New Zealand chased down a tricky 170 against South Africa in just 12.5 overs at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday. The nine-wicket win sealed New Zealand’s progress to the final in emphatic fashion.
India arrive for the final net session before the T20 World Cup semi-finals
After the match, Allen highlighted how the five-match series against India before the tournament helped the visitors adapt to the demanding black surfaces used during the World Cup.“It just shows the importance of that India series the guys played before the World Cup. Five games on a black pitch… you can’t repeat that kind of preparation,” Allen said. “We’ve learned a lot as a group. As a team, we rise to the occasion. In these important games, we’re ready to knock it out and stay in it until the end.”Allen also praised the New Zealand bowlers for setting up the win after early breakthroughs disrupted South Africa’s momentum. “It was an extremely impressive start from our bowlers – they certainly set the game up for us. On a surface like this, if you can take the wickets forward and create pressure, it makes life a lot easier for the batsmen.”The right-hander added that the recent experience of playing in India gave him a better understanding of the conditions. “The last match against India on the clay gave me the right perspective of what to expect. That was really helpful coming into this,” he said.Allen also reserved special praise for opening partner Tim Seifert, who slammed a 33-ball 58 in a blistering stand that effectively ended the match in the powerplay.“He just kept hitting boundaries … he’s been doing that all tournament long. He’s in incredible form. It’s fun to bat with Timmy when he’s in that mood,” Allen said.Allen urged the home fans to get behind the team as they watched the finals. “Finals are special…you don’t get many chances in them. Hopefully we’ll all be behind us on Sunday.”
