Finn Allen's 33-ball century blasts Blackcaps into T20 World Cup final

The Blackcaps have a chance to win their first white-ball World Cup.

They’ve powered past South Africa by nine wickets in the semi-final at Eden Gardens to reach the T20 World Cup final for the first time since 2021.

Set 170 to win after a strong bowling performance, opening batters Tim Seifert and Finn Allen smashed 117 off 9.1 overs and the game was essentially over.

The partnership was a mix of brutal hitting, inventive strokes, and some lucky edges as the in-form pair both made half-centuries.

Seifert was out for 58 off 33 balls, while Allen’s biggest issue was cramping up when he was 65 not out off 25 balls.

The powerful right-handed batter hit the penultimate delivery of the game so hard the ball cracked so they needed a replacement, he hit that for four to finish the match on 100 not out off 33 balls, the fastest T20 World Cup century of all-time.

New Zealand reaching the target with a massive 43 balls remaining.

“Yeah it was pretty up there,” man of the match Allen told Sky Sport after the game.

“Just wanted to get in good positions and put in a good performance for the team.”

The Proteas were massive favourites before the match, having won all seven of their games at the tournament including a big win over New Zealand in group play.

The Blackcaps won the toss and put South Africa in and sprung a surprise in the second over.

Unheralded spinning all-rounder Cole McConchie taking two wickets, including dangerman Quinton de Kock for 10, to put the Proteas on the back foot.

South Africa were in trouble at 77 for 5 but recovered well before pace bowler Matt Henry, who had just made it back to India in time for the game after the birth of his second child, finished the innings with two wickets and just six runs off the final over.

The total of 169 for 8 was a decent one but was never going to be enough after the brutal assault from Seifert and Allen.

The Blackcaps are now a chance to win their first limited overs World Cup having made three finals before, including losing the T20 decider to Australia five years ago.

The Blackcaps can now sit back and see who they will face in Monday’s decider when India take on England in the second semi-final on Friday morning.