Openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert produced a masterclass in aggressive batting, chasing down a target of 170 in just 12.5 overs to leave the Proteas stunned and ensure the Black Caps a shot at the trophy on March 8 in Ahmedabad.
The chase began with a historic explosion of runs as Allen and Seifert combined for an 84-run opening stand in the first six overs—the highest powerplay score in T20 World Cup history. Seifert set the tone early, reaching a clinical 58 off 28 balls before being bowled by Kagiso Rabada in the 10th over. However, his departure did little to slow the momentum, as Finn Allen continued his relentless assault on the South African bowling attack.
Finn Allen’s performance was nothing short of legendary. He reached his half-century in just 19 balls—the joint-fastest of the tournament—before shifting into an even higher gear. In a stunning final over against Marco Jansen, Allen smashed 4, 4, 6, and 6 to bring up his century in just 33 balls, the fastest hundred ever recorded at a Men’s T20 World Cup. He finished unbeaten on 100 as he hit the winning runs, ending a match that many expected to be a close contest in a matter of 77 minutes.
Earlier in the day, South Africa struggled to find their rhythm after New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to field. The Proteas were reeling at 77/5 before a late rescue act from Marco Jansen, who scored an unbeaten 55 off 30 balls, helped them reach a respectable 169/8. New Zealand’s bowlers were disciplined throughout, with Matt Henry, Cole McConchie, and Rachin Ravindra each picking up two wickets to keep the pressure on.
With this dominant performance, New Zealand has shed its "underdog" tag and enters the final as a formidable force. They now wait to see whether they will face India or England in the championship match, as they look to go one step further than their runner-up finish in 2021 and claim their first-ever T20 World Cup title.
