T20 World Cup: Black Caps make final as Finn Allen’s ton sinks South Africa

Thursday, 5 March 2026

T20 World Cup semifinal, Kolkata: South Africa 169-8 (Marco Jansen 55 not out from 30 balls, Dewald Brevis 34 from 27; Cole McConchie 2-9 from one over, Rachin Ravindra 2-29 from 4, Matt Henry 2-34 from 4) lost to New Zealand 173-1 from 12.5 overs (Finn Allen 100 not out from 33 balls, Tim Seifert 58 from 33) by nine wickets. Click here for full scoreboard.

One-over wonder Cole McConchie set it up, Finn Allen brought it home in record fashion.

New Zealand raced into the T20 World Cup final on Thursday morning (NZ time) with a nine-wicket win over South Africa in Kolkata, India.

They will face either India or England in Monday morning’s final, after dominating their semifinal.

Openers Allen and Tim Seifert put on 117 for the first wicket in 9.1 overs as the Black Caps pursued 170 for victory.

Allen blazed away to make the fastest hundred in T20 history between full-member nations - 100 not out from 33 balls - as New Zealand romped home with 43 deliveries to spare. He struck eight sixes and ten fours, with his final 35 runs coming from the last eight balls he faced.

McConchie set NZ on the path to the final with the ball, after captain Mitchell Santner delightedly won the toss and chose to bowl, with dew expected on the outfield during the latter stages of the night-time encounter.

McConchie, who starred with the bat when the injury replacement in the squad for Michael Bracewell got his chance against Sri Lanka, was kept in the XI ahead of leggie Ish Sodhi - the third-most prolific wicket-taker in T20I history.

Employed to bowl the second over, the offspinner removed two left-handed batters in consecutive balls - Quinton de Kock was cramped for room, while Ryan Rickelton’s first and only delivery faced had a little more bounce than he expected.

New Zealand’s delight faded somewhat when Rachin Ravindra dropped the tournament’s third-highest scorer Aiden Markram when the Proteas skipper was only on three, before Jimmy Neesham’s first over conceded 17 runs.

But the skipper perished off Ravindra’s bowling when Daryl Mitchell took a catch at long-on which was referred to the TV umpire, and while some slow-mo replays appeared to show the ball touching the ground, Nitin Menon was convinced Mitchell had his fingers under the ball throughout.

When Neesham returned and had the dangerous Dewald Brevis caught for 34 from 27 balls, South Africa were 77-5 in the 11th over and under intense pressure.

Neesham was also handed the troublesome 18th over, and wasn’t the answer Santner continues to seek, giving up 22 to give South Africa heart.

Lockie Ferguson’s wiles got him Tristan Stubbs’ wicket with the first ball of the 19th, but Marco Jansen continued to free his long arms, swiping five sixes in making an unbeaten 55 from 30 balls at No.7.

Seifert had a couple of fortunate escapes early before flourishing in making 58 from 33 balls (seven fours and two sixes) while Allen raced to his half-century from just 19 balls and even cramp couldn’t slow him down on his way to his hundred.

Title favourites India will meet England in the second semifinal in Mumbai on Friday morning (NZ time).