'Time to celebrate a little, but eyes on Sunday's final': Finn Allen after record T20 World Cup century

Kolkata, India – New Zealand opener Finn Allen etched his name into T20 World Cup folklore on Wednesday night, hammering the tournament’s fastest-ever century to propel the Black Caps into Sunday’s final with a nine-wicket demolition of previously unbeaten South Africa at Eden Gardens.

Chasing 170 in the first semi-final, Allen needed only 33 deliveries to reach three figures, eclipsing Chris Gayle’s 47-ball record set in 2016. The 24-year-old finished 100 not out, laced with eight sixes and ten fours, as New Zealand galloped home with 43 balls to spare.

Tim Seifert provided the ideal foil, crashing 58 from 32 balls and sharing a 117-run opening stand in just 9.1 overs. Seifert’s innings included seven fours and two sixes before Kagiso Rabada separated the pair in the 10th over; South Africa had no further success.

“We wanted to start well and put them on the back foot early,” Allen said after collecting the Player-of-the-Match award. “Easy for me when Timmy is going like that. I can just watch and get him on strike. He batted on a flyer.”

Allen revealed that meticulous preparation underpinned the assault. “Training is really important to get a feel of the wicket. We knew it would be black soil, we had that intel. Shows how important that series was before the World Cup.”

New Zealand, which sneaked into the knockout phase on net run-rate, will meet either India or England in Sunday’s title match in Ahmedabad as they pursue a first T20 World Cup crown. “You take the positives from the game and celebrate a little,” Allen admitted, “but you have a final to look forward to on Sunday.”

Earlier, the Kiwi spinners had choked South Africa’s vaunted batting line-up. Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie claimed two wickets apiece, reducing the Proteas to 77-5 inside ten overs. Aiden Markram’s side had entered the contest with seven consecutive wins, but McConchie removed Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton in successive deliveries in the second over, and Ravindra later accounted for Markram and David Miller.

Marco Jansen’s unbeaten 55 from 30 balls lent respectability to the total, lifting South Africa to 169-8 after they were inserted by New Zealand. Tristan Stubbs contributed 29, while Matt Henry – who flew back to India only on Tuesday night following the birth of his child – returned 2-34 to complement the spinners.

The comprehensive victory sets up a trans-Tasman showdown for the trophy, with Allen’s record-breaking pyrotechnics certain to reverberate well beyond the banks of the Hooghly.