New Zealand’s Finn Allen scored the fastest century in T20 World Cup history in Kolkata on Wednesday, helping his team defeat South Africa by nine wickets to enter the final.
Chasing 170 to win in the first semi-final, Allen scored an unbeaten 100 off just 33 balls, erasing Chris Gayle’s previous mark of 47 balls, as New Zealand won with 7.1 overs to spare.
Allen scored the winning runs by hitting two fours, two sixes and a four off consecutive balls and completed his century to a roar of joy at the Eden Gardens.
Tim Seifert scored 58 runs in an opening partnership of 117 with Allen to seal victory in just 9.1 overs.
Seifert hit two sixes and seven fours, while Allen produced a brutal display of controlled power hitting, hitting eight sixes and 10 fours.
New Zealand, who reached the semi-finals on the basis of net run rate but are in search of a maiden World Cup title, will play either India or England in the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Spinners Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie took two wickets each to restrict South Africa to 169-8 after New Zealand elected to field first.
2024 runners-up South Africa, led by Aiden Markram, were unbeaten in seven matches but slipped to 77-5 before Marco Janssen made an unbeaten 55, giving the total some respectability.
Seifert completed his half-century on the bowling of fast bowler Lungi Ngidi. Allen completed his half-century in 19 balls.
Kagiso Rababa bowled Seifert in the 10th over but that was South Africa’s only success.
Spinners Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie took two wickets each, before Tristan Stubbs (29) and Johnson added 73 runs for South Africa.
Johnson hit two fours and five sixes in his innings of 30 balls.
McConchie struck first with his off-spin in the second over, dismissing Quinton de Kock for 10 and sending Ryan Rickelton back with the next ball, but Dewald Brewis avoided a hat-trick.
Left-arm spinner Ravindra had Markram caught by Daryl Mitchell on 18 runs.
Five balls later, David Miller became the victim of Ravindra after scoring six runs and Mitchell again took the catch at long-on.
South Africa lost half their team in 10.2 overs when Jimmy Neesham cut short Brevis’s innings of 34 runs.
Ferguson bowled Stubbs but Johnson completed his half-century by hitting a six.
Fast bowler Matt Henry, who only returned on Tuesday night after going home for the birth of his child, took 2-34.