Star opener Finn Allen described New Zealand’s dominant semi-final victory over South Africa national cricket team as a major confidence boost as the team prepares for the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Allen delivered a sensational performance in the semi-final, smashing the fastest century in T20 World Cup history. His explosive hundred came off just 33 balls and helped New Zealand national cricket team secure a commanding nine-wicket victory over South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens.
The emphatic win set up a final clash against India national cricket team, who later confirmed their spot in the final after defeating England national cricket team.
Allen’s Record-Breaking Knock
Chasing a target of 170, Allen produced a breathtaking batting display, hitting 10 fours and eight sixes. His aggressive approach dismantled the South African bowling attack and helped New Zealand reach the target with 7.1 overs to spare.
South Africa, who had entered the semi-final unbeaten and were runners-up in the 2024 edition, suffered a heavy defeat as New Zealand cruised to victory.
Reflecting on the win, Allen acknowledged the quality of the South African side led by Aiden Markram.
“They fight hard, they come hard at us, they’ve got good tall fast bowlers and it makes it challenging for us,” Allen said.
“Their boys hit the ball hard, so to get one over them is a huge confidence booster for us going into Sunday. They’ve been the in-form team the whole tournament.”
Strong Opening Partnership
Allen shared a brilliant 117-run opening partnership with fellow opener Tim Seifert, who also played a crucial role in the chase.
Seifert initially took charge of the innings, racing to 41 off just 21 balls before eventually finishing with a well-made 58. His aggressive start allowed Allen to settle in before launching a devastating assault on the bowlers.
The pair attacked South Africa’s pace battery, which included world-class bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi.
Allen sealed the victory in style, finishing the match with a flurry of boundaries as he completed his historic century.
Praise for Seifert
Allen credited Seifert for making the batting partnership enjoyable and effective.
“He’s in incredible form, he’s an incredible player and I think he’s just showing the world what he can do,” Allen said.
“I think that makes it easy for me to sit back and have the best seat in the house. So yeah, it’s good fun batting with Timmy.”
Support from Home
The Auckland-born cricketer also spoke about the support he receives from family and fans back home in New Zealand. He said his parents and supporters would likely have stayed awake to watch the match despite the challenging time difference.
“I’m sure my parents are up watching the whole game. Hopefully they’re proud,” Allen said.
“But I think as a nation, hopefully everyone gets behind us and rallies around us for Sunday.”
The final is scheduled to begin at around 2:30 am on Monday in New Zealand due to the time difference with India.
“Obviously it’s a difficult time for people to watch back home, but I’m sure people were keeping tabs on the game and hopefully they can get up, maybe take Monday off work and watch the final,” he added.
Preparation in India Paid Off
New Zealand had only narrowly qualified for the semi-finals, edging past Pakistan national cricket team on net run-rate. They had also suffered a seven-wicket defeat to South Africa earlier in the group stage.
However, Allen said a five-match T20 series played in India before the World Cup helped the team adapt to local conditions. New Zealand lost that series 4–1, but the experience proved valuable.
“I think it shows the importance of that India series that the boys played before the World Cup,” Allen said.
“Five games on black-soil pitches, and I think it just shows that as a team we get up for the fight in those important fixtures.”
With momentum on their side and confidence boosted by Allen’s historic performance, New Zealand will now aim to lift their first-ever T20 World Cup trophy when they face India in the final.
