South Africa vs New Zealand Highlights: Finn Allen’s 33-Ball Century Powers NZ Into T20 World Cup 2026 Final

The T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand turned into a historic night of power-hitting. New Zealand opener Finn Allen delivered one of the greatest innings in T20 World Cup history, smashing a breathtaking 100 off just 33 balls and guiding the Black Caps to the final in style.

New Zealand chased down the target in just 12.5 overs, defeating South Africa by nine wickets and securing a place in the T20 World Cup 2026 final.

South Africa’s Innings: A Decent Start But Not Enough

South Africa batted first and posted 169/8 in 20 overs. The Proteas struggled early after losing key wickets in the middle overs. However, Marco Jansen played a crucial knock of 55 runs, helping South Africa reach a competitive total.

New Zealand’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout the innings. Rachin Ravindra and Matt Henry delivered key breakthroughs that prevented South Africa from crossing the 180-run mark.

Despite the late acceleration from Jansen, the total proved insufficient against New Zealand’s explosive batting lineup.

Finn Allen’s Record-Breaking Century

The highlight of the match was Finn Allen’s extraordinary century, which came off just 33 balls, making it the fastest century in T20 World Cup history.

Allen’s innings included:

• 100 runs off 33 balls*

• 10 fours and 8 sixes

• Strike rate above 300

He reached his half-century in only 19 balls and continued the assault on the South African bowlers. This knock also broke the previous T20 World Cup record for the fastest hundred held by Chris Gayle (47 balls in 2016).

Allen’s fearless batting turned the semi-final into a one-sided contest.

Seifert’s Supportive Knock

While Allen stole the spotlight, Tim Seifert played an important supporting role, scoring 58 runs off 33 balls.

The opening pair added a 117-run partnership, effectively sealing the match during the powerplay overs. Their aggressive approach dismantled the South African bowling attack and set the tone for an easy chase.

New Zealand’s Dominant Chase

Chasing 170 runs, New Zealand attacked from the very first over. The team reached:

• 50 runs in just 4.4 overs

• 100 runs in under 8 overs

Allen finished the game in style as New Zealand reached 173/1 in 12.5 overs, winning with 43 balls remaining.

The victory ended South Africa’s unbeaten run in the tournament and sent the Black Caps into the final with strong momentum.

Records Broken by Finn Allen

Allen’s incredible knock created several historic records:

• Fastest T20 World Cup century – 33 balls

• First century in a T20 World Cup knockout match

• One of the fastest T20I centuries against a full-member nation

Cricket legends and fans worldwide praised the explosive performance.

What’s Next?

With this massive win, New Zealand advances to the T20 World Cup 2026 final. They will face the winner of the second semi-final between India and England.

If New Zealand maintains this form, they could be on track to win their first T20 World Cup title.

✅ Final Thoughts:

The South Africa vs New Zealand semi-final will be remembered for Finn Allen’s unbelievable power-hitting. His 33-ball century turned a high-pressure knockout match into a historic moment in T20 cricket.

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