New Zealand has made a strong entry in the final of ICC T20 World Cup 2026. With the help of Finn Allen’s brilliant century, the Kiwi team has defeated South Africa by 9 wickets. In the first semi-final match played at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata, South Africa had set a target of 170 runs for New Zealand, which the Kiwi team achieved very easily in 12.5 overs by losing 1 wicket. Allen remained unbeaten after scoring 100 runs in 33 balls with the help of 10 fours and 8 sixes.
Explosive opener Allen scored the fastest century in T20 World Cup history. Earlier, the record of fastest century was in the name of Chris Gayle. Former Caribbean opener Chris Gayle scored a century in 47 balls against England in 2016.
Allen was on 96 runs when New Zealand needed only 1 run to win. It seemed that he would miss breaking Gayle’s record but he completed his century by sending Marco Jansson’s ball over mid-off and also took New Zealand to the final of the T20 World Cup for the second time. The Kiwi team had earlier reached the title match in 2021, where it had to face defeat at the hands of Australia.
Also read: Aiden Markram given wrong OUT? Questions raised on TV umpire’s decision
New Zealand won the match in powerplay itself
The opening pair of Finn Allen and Tim Seifert gave a flying start to the Kiwi team in the run chase. Both scored 84 runs in the powerplay. Now New Zealand had to score only 86 runs in 14 overs, which it achieved in just 6.5 overs. Seifert scored 58 runs in 33 balls. During this period, 7 fours and 2 sixes came from his bat. Rachin Ravindra returned unbeaten with Allen after scoring 13 runs in 11 balls. For South Africa, Marco Yanson gave away 53 runs in 2.5 overs.
Also read: Who is this Kiwi spinner, who took 2 wickets in 2 balls in the semi-finals?
Proteas team faltered in the beginning itself
New Zealand won the toss and invited South Africa to bat first. Kolo McConchie gave 2 blows to South Africa in 2 balls in the very second over. This off-spinner sent Quinton De Kock (10) and Ryan Rickleton (0) to the pavilion. Captain Aidan Markram (18) and Dewald Brewis (34) took charge of the Proteas team and took it beyond 50 but after that their innings fell apart again. After Markram was out in the eighth over, David Miller (6) and Brewis also walked out.
South Africa’s 5 wickets had fallen at 77 runs. Marco Jansson played an inning of 55 runs in 30 balls to take them to a fighting score (169/8) but it was not enough. The South African team, the finalist of the last edition, had to exit from the semi-finals itself.
Comments are closed.