Finn Allen announced himself to the cricket world with his outstanding knock against the South African cricket team during the T20 World Cup semi-final at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The New Zealand opener broke several records and created several firsts with his iconic knock that helped his side to secure a place in the T20 World Cup 2026 Final match.
Breaking Records and Making History: Finn Allen’s Semi-Final Masterclass
New Zealand chased 169 with 43 balls to spare, winning by nine wickets. Allen scored 100* while Tim Seifert added 58 off 33 balls. Together, they shared a 117-run opening partnership in just 55 balls, putting the game beyond South Africa’s reach.
Finn Allen walked like he was on a mission to destroy the South African bowlers as he smashed them to all the corners of the iconic stadium of Kolkata. His sensational knock even left the ‘God of Cricket’ — Sachin Tendulkar in awe of him, who hailed him with a special Tweet.
“Semi-finals usually keep you on the edge of your seat. Today, Finn Allen finished it before we could settle in! What a game!”
Semi-finals usually keep you on the edge of your seat. Today, Finn Allen finished it before we could settle in! What a game!
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 4, 2026
This tweet perfectly sums up the feelings of all the cricket lovers who were bamboozled by the heroics of Finn Allen.
Quickest Fifty in a Knockout Match
Allen reached his fifty in just 19 balls, setting a new T20 World Cup knockout record. He broke Yuvraj Singh’s 2007 record of 20 balls, when Yuvraj scored 70 off 30 against Australia to inspire India’s win.
| Player | Balls Taken | Opponent | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finn Allen (New Zealand) | 19 | South Africa | Kolkata | 2026 |
| Yuvraj Singh (India) | 20 | Australia | Durban | 2007 |
| Michael Hussey (Australia) | 22 | Pakistan | Gros Islet | 2010 |
| George Bailey (Australia) | 23 | West Indies | Colombo | 2012 |
| Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa) | 23 | India | Barbados | 2024 |
More Records Shattered
Allen became the first player to score a century in a T20 World Cup semi-final, surpassing Tilakaratne Dilshan’s 96 from 2009. He hit eight sixes, breaking Alex Hales’ record of seven in a knockout match. His 33-ball century also set the fastest T20 World Cup ton, beating Chris Gayle’s 37-ball record, and is the quickest by a player from a Full Member nation against a Test-playing side.
5 fastest centuries in T20 World Cup history:
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Finn Allen – 33 balls
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Chris Gayle – 47 balls
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Harry Brook – 50 balls
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Chris Gayle – 50 balls
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Brendon McCullum – 51 balls
Boundary Records
Finn Allen scored 88 runs in boundaries with 10 fours and 8 sixes, breaking the previous record of 86 held by Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle.
Partnership and Powerplay Records
Finn Allen and Tim Seifert added 117 runs in 9.1 overs, the highest opening stand in a T20 World Cup semi-final. New Zealand also scored 84 in the first 6 overs, the highest powerplay total in T20 WC history.
Highest Partnership Centuries in T20 World Cup Knockouts
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170* – Jos Buttler & Alex Hales (ENG) vs India, Adelaide, 2022 SF
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117 – Finn Allen & Tim Seifert (NZ) vs South Africa, Kolkata, 2026 SF
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111 – Craig Kieswetter & Kevin Pietersen (ENG) vs West Indies, Bridgetown, 2010 Final
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105 – Babar Azam & Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) vs New Zealand, Sydney, 2022 SF
Firsts and Historical Achievements
Finn Allen’s 100* is the first century in a T20 World Cup semi-final, surpassing Tilakaratne Dilshan’s 96* from 2009, and setting multiple new tournament records.
NZ vs SA T20 World Cup 2026 Semi-Final — List Of All the Records Finn Allen Shattered Against South Africa
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Fastest Century in T20 World Cup: 33 balls, breaking Chris Gayle’s 47-ball record from 2016
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Fastest Century in an ICC Knockout: First-ever century in a semi-final or final of any World Cup
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Joint-Fastest T20I Century by a Full Member: Tied with Sikandar Raza (33 balls)
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Most Runs in Boundaries in a T20 WC Innings: 88 runs (10 fours, 8 sixes)
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Most Sixes in a T20 WC Knockout: 8 sixes
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Highest Opening Partnership in a T20 WC Semi: 117 runs with Tim Seifert
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Highest Powerplay Score in T20 WC History: 84/0 in 6 overs
Finn Allen Named Player of the Match For His Historic Knock
Finn Allen was named player of the match, and it’s easy to see why after his incredible innings.
“I just wanted to get in good positions and put in a good performance for the team.
“We wanted to start well and put them on the back foot early. It is easy for me when Tim [Seifert] is going like that. The way he batted got us off to an absolute flyer.”
On staying motivated in big matches, he said: “It is easy in semifinals to stay up for the fight and with Tim [Seifert] we keep each other in it, and we enjoy it out there together.”
About adjusting to different venues: “You adapt to the wickets; training is really important to get a feel of what the wicket might look like.”
Looking ahead to the final, Allen added: “You take the positives from this game, celebrate little moments of success, then we have a final to play on Sunday and we look forward to that.”
