New Zealand, courtesy a record century by Finn Allen, snapped their winless streak against South Africa in the T20 World Cup with a supercharged performance in Kolkata on Wednesday.
What a convincing way to reach the final for New Zealand. Against a team that hammered them earlier in the tournament, against a team unbeaten through the World Cup and one of the favourites to win it. For South Africa, on the other hand, it’s another case of heartbreak after coming so close. 2023 comes to mind. They played oh so well throughout this World Cup, but have fallen so close to the finish.
After restricting South Africa to 169 for 8, Finn Allen powered the Black Caps to 173 for 1 in 12.5 overs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals. Allen was a man on a mission as he scored a 100 off just 33 balls, the fastest century in Men’s T20 World Cups to take his team to a nine-wicket win.
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“Yeah, it was nice. When you see how good South Africa are, to put on a performance like that in a crunch game is pretty pleasing. I guess every time you show up and lose a game you’re learning from it. I guess today was just about trying to keep pressure on throughout, and when you take wickets consistently it’s a challenge to keep going with the bat,” said New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner.
On using off-spinner Cole McConchie in the powerplay, Santner said: “There was a plan for the first two overs and then a free-for-all. Then with Brevis coming in, we knew he likes spin but we thought it would be better spinning it away from him.”
“It was special, it was nice to watch, not going to lie. We were very happy with 170 going into the break but in T20, you never know. Wickets on the powerplay would have made it a challenge. But they took it on. And Finny just carried on. And 33-ball 100 is not bad,” he said about openers Tim Siefert and Finn Allen.
Skipper Santner backs New Zealand to rise to the occasion against South Africa in the semis
Having entered the contest unbeaten, South Africa were completely blown away by a strong New Zealand side on the day. Chasing a tricky target of 170, New Zealand charged out of the blocks. The Black Caps have ridden their luck to score 84 for no loss in the first six overs. It is the second-highest powerplay score of this World Cup, only two behind India’s 86 for one against Namibia.
Seifert and Allen had put their team in the driver’s seat. Allen struck a six and four fours in succession against Corbin Bosch, piling 22 runs in the sixth over. Even after the fielding restrictions came off, Seifert and Allen continued to press on. Seifert brought up his half-century in 28 balls while Allen has been in punishing mood, and slammed a fifty off just 19 balls, the joint-fastest this World Cup.
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Kagiso Rabada gave the Proteas the breakthrough as he got through Seifert’s defences. But Seifert had already played his part, scoring 58 for 33, with the help of seven fours and two sixes.
We wanted to start well, says Allen
“Just tried to get in good positions and perform for the team. We wanted to start well and put them on the back foot early. Easy for me when Timmy is going like that. I can just watch and get him on strike. He batted on a flyer. Huge game for us. Timmy and I just kept ensuring we’re looking straight and going hard. You adapt to the wicket. Training is really important to get a feel of the wicket. We knew it would be black soil as we had that intel. Shows how important that series was before the World Cup. You take the positives from the game and celebrate a little, but you have a final to look forward to on Sunday,” said Allen, who was named the Player of the Match.
Electing to field first, the Black Caps deployed off-spinner McConchie in the second over to test the South African top order. And the gamble paid off immediately as he dismissed left-handers Quinton De Kock and Ryan Rickelton off successive deliveries to peg South Africa back to 12 for 2.
In fine form earlier in the tournament, captain Aiden Markram could not steer them clear out of danger. After a 43-run partnership with Dewald Brevis, Markram fell to a superb diving catch by Daryl Mitchell off Rachin Ravindra.
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Brevis played a handy knock of 34 and seemed to have the measure of the surface, which was on the slower side. But he did not stay long enough either and ended up chipping the ball straight to cover off James Neesham.
Once reeling at 77/5, Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen dragged South Africa back on track with a 73-run partnership off 48 balls. Jansen and Stubbs got stuck into Neesham in the 18th over, plundering 22 runs off it to lend some much-needed momentum to the innings.
Jansen used his long levers and easy power to full effect and brought up his half-century with back-to-back sixes against Lockie Ferguson. He hit five sixes and two fours to finish unbeaten on 55 off 30 balls.
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It was McConchie (2/9) and left-arm spinner Ravindra (2/29) who had helped the Black Caps make early inroads. Pacer Matt Henry also claimed two wickets, while Lockie Ferguson and Neesham chipped in with a wicket each. The water-tight New Zealand bowling line-up kept South Africa in check almost through the innings, save the late charge by Jansen.
Really proud of the boys: Markram
“I think you look at the conditions, and they bowled really well up front. Credit to their bowling unit. And obviously when someone plays an innings like that, you don’t often come out on the right side of that. To get to 170 was a great effort to be fair. As it goes in T20 cricket, they got off to a flyer in the powerplay. Massive credit to Finn Allen’s knock and Seifert’s knock to kill the game off as early as they did. I think we expected the wicket to play really well, looked really good to the eye. Maybe we had to try and scrape our way to 190 and we’d be in the game. Obviously disappointed in the result but really proud of these guys. Played so well in this tournament. I think we’ll let the emotions settle first and foremost and then have a discussion as a group. You get back on the horse and come back. Hugely disappointed. We’ll have to come out stronger and be better as a team,” said a disappointed Markram.
Brief scores: South Africa 169 for eight in 20 overs (Dewald Brevis 34, Tristan Stubbs 29, Marco Jansen 55; Cole McConchie 2/9, Rachin Ravindra 2/29, Matt Henry 2/34) lost to New Zealand 173 for one in 12.5 overs (Tim Seifert 58, Finn Allen 100 not out).
