In a breathtaking display of power-hitting at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, New Zealand opener Finn Allen etched his name into T20 World Cup history on Wednesday. Facing South Africa in the first semi-final of the 2026 edition, Allen unleashed a blistering unbeaten century off just 33 balls, propelling the Black Caps into the final while shattering multiple records.
Allen’s explosive knock featured 10 fours and 8 sixes, culminating in a monumental 100 not out. The moment his eighth six sailed into the stands, he surpassed the previous benchmark for most sixes in a single T20 World Cup, reaching an astonishing 20 maximums for the tournament. This feat eclipsed Shimron Hetmyer’s 19 and Sahibzada Farhan’s 18 from the same event.
Prior to Allen, Nicholas Pooran held the record with 17 sixes in the 2024 World Cup, followed by Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Chris Gayle with 16 each in 2024 and 2012 respectively. But Allen didn’t stop there. His century stands as the fastest in T20 World Cup history, obliterating Gayle’s 47-ball mark from 2016 against England.
Allen also claimed the record for the highest score in a T20 World Cup knockout match, surpassing Tillakaratne Dilshan’s unbeaten 96 from the 2009 semi-final against West Indies. He became just the third New Zealander to score a century in the tournament, following Brendon McCullum’s 123 in 2012 and Glenn Phillips’ 104 in 2022.
South Africa, batting first after losing the toss, posted 169 for 8. New Zealand chased down the target with ease, reaching 173 for 1 in 12.5 overs. Allen’s 100 off 33 balls was complemented by Tim Seifert’s 58 off 33, securing a 9-wicket victory. Allen was rightfully named Player of the Match, capping off a performance for the ages.