Allen’s Record Century Powers New Zealand into T20 World Cup Final

New Zealand cruised into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final with a dominant nine-wicket victory over South Africa in the semifinal at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Batting first, South Africa struggled early after losing quick wickets. A late counterattack from Marco Jansen, who scored an unbeaten 55, helped them reach 169/8 in 20 overs. In reply, New Zealand produced a sensational chase led by Finn Allen. The explosive opener smashed an unbeaten 100 off just 33 balls, hitting 10 fours and eight sixes. He shared a rapid 117-run opening partnership with Tim Seifert, who scored 58. New Zealand chased down the 170-run target in just 12.5 overs, finishing at 173/1 with 43 balls remaining. Allen’s 33-ball century also became the fastest hundred in T20 World Cup history. The defeat ended South Africa’s unbeaten run in the tournament, while New Zealand advanced to the final with one of the most commanding semifinal wins in the competition.