Finn Allen picks perfect time to blast Black Caps into T20 World Cup final
Friday, 6 March 2026
ANALYSIS: When the T20 World Cup started, there was some doubt whether Finn Allen’s fine form would translate to the tournament.
That uncertainty was repeatedly dispatched over the boundary and into the crowd at Eden Gardens as the Black Caps opener made the semifinal venue into his own patch of paradise.
Allen made the fastest century in the tournament’s history, and the quickest in a T20I involving the world’s top teams when his unbeaten 100 from 33 balls rocketed New Zealand into the final against either India or England.
He was even faster than the New Zealand national anthem played prior to their previous Cup match versus England, making the pursuit of South Africa’s 169-8 look like the alpha uncle dispatching the kids in a Xmas Day backyard bash.
He put on a partnership with fellow opener Tim Seifert worth 117 in just 9.1 overs as the two key factors towards a potential victory identified in The Post both went firmly New Zealand’s way, with the coin-toss falling in their favour.
It was the third T20I century of an up-and-down international career by the 26-year-old, who averages 29 with a sizzling Strike Rate of 171.
Allen entered the event on the back of an outstanding campaign in the Big Bash League in Australia over summer. The right-hander played a key part as his Perth Scorchers side claimed the trophy in January, being the competition’s top scorer with 466 runs at a Strike Rate of 184.18 and an average of 42.36.
But wise heads like Black Caps coach Rob Walter warned that wasn’t a guarantee of continued success at the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, with slower pitches and more assistance for spin bowlers making it harder to blaze away from the outset.
Allen had flopped at the previous World Cup - two ducks and a total of 35 runs from four matches at NZ were eliminated in the group stage on slow pitches in the Caribbean.
That left him with an uncertain international future - was he destined to be forever regarded as a player who couldn’t bat long enough to be a genuine match-winner at the highest level?
Soon after, he opted out of a contract with NZ Cricket after not being granted the casual contract he sought to enable him to play in a variety of T20 franchise leagues throughout the world, while still playing for the national side.
It wasn’t until March 2025 that he played again for the Black Caps, and there were signs immediately that he and Seifert could provide the punch required for the Black Caps to go deep at the World Cup the following year.
Allen still goes hard at almost every ball and isn’t at the wicket for a long time - only twice in his past 22 T20I knocks has he lasted more than 38 balls.
But on Thursday, 33 deliveries were enough to deliver one of the most devastating displays in a white-ball World Cup knockout game in history.
Walter and Santner strung a surprise when Cole McConchie remained in the side despite the return of Jimmy Neesham from the XI beaten by England in their last Super Eights match, with the offspinner getting the nod ahead of the third-most prolific wicket-taker in T20I history, legspinner Ish Sodhi.
It paid rapid dividends when McConchie - who joined the squad as an injury replacement for Michael Bracewell - removed Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton in consecutive deliveries in the second over, which played a part in the Proteas being unable to offer NZ a bigger target.
New Zealand’s opponent for the final in Ahmedabad on Monday morning (2:30am NZ time) was decided overnight when India met England.
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.