Absolute Carnage at Eden Gardens: Finn Allen’s 33-Ball Century Obliterates South Africa
By Crick tv
Updated: Mar 05, 2026 12:42 PM
If you missed the first Semi-Final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 last night, you missed history being rewritten. Going into the match, South Africa was the formidable, unbeaten force of the tournament. New Zealand? The gritty, tactical underdogs who always seem to find another gear in knockout matches.
But what unfolded at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens wasn't just a cricket match—it was a spectacular, one-sided demolition derby led by a man on an absolute mission: Finn Allen.
The Setup: South Africa's Stutter & Jansen's Rescue
When New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner won the toss and opted to bowl, the Black Caps immediately put the squeeze on. South Africa's star-studded top order crumbled under the pressure, leaving them gasping for air at 77/5 by the 11th over.
Just when it looked like a total collapse was imminent, Marco Jansen stepped up. Showcasing some fearless power-hitting, Jansen smashed a brilliant, unbeaten 55 off just 30 balls. Thanks to his late-order fireworks, the Proteas managed to post a highly respectable 169/8.
At the innings break, 170 looked like a tricky, high-pressure chase for a World Cup Semi-Final.
We couldn't have been more wrong.
The Chase: Finn Allen Goes Super Saiyan
Chasing 170, New Zealand didn't just step onto the pitch; they kicked the door down. The chase was wrapped up in an unbelievable 12.5 overs, with New Zealand cruising to 173/1.
Here is why this match will be talked about for decades:
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The Fastest Century in T20 WC History: Finn Allen smashed an unbeaten 100 off exactly 33 balls. Let that sink in. He utterly shattered Chris Gayle’s legendary record of 47 balls, making a mockery of a world-class South African bowling attack.
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Raining Boundaries: Allen’s historic knock was laced with 10 fours and 8 monstrous sixes. He practically used the Eden Gardens stands for target practice.
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The Perfect Partner: While Allen was launching rockets, Tim Seifert played a flawless, aggressive supporting role. He slammed 58 off 33 balls before falling to Kagiso Rabada. Together, they put up a massive 117-run opening stand in just 9.1 overs to completely kill the game.
By the time Allen hit the winning runs—a boundary, naturally—the South African squad looked completely shell-shocked.
The Proteas' Semi-Final Curse Continues
For South Africa, it’s a heartbreakingly familiar script. They played flawless cricket throughout the group and Super 8 stages, carrying a 7-match unbeaten streak into Kolkata. But the semi-final hoodoo strikes again. To be completely fair to them, this wasn't a case of the infamous "choke"—they were simply blown off the park by a freakish, once-in-a-lifetime batting display that no bowling attack could have survived.
The Road to Ahmedabad
New Zealand has officially booked their ticket to the Grand Finale on Sunday, March 8, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. They are peaking at the exact right moment, and with Finn Allen in this kind of terrifying, record-breaking form, no total feels safe.
They now await the winner of the highly anticipated second Semi-Final clash between India and England.
The Final Word: T20 cricket is beautifully unpredictable, but very rarely do we witness a team utterly dismantle a top-tier opponent in a World Cup knockout stage quite like this. Finn Allen didn't just win a match last night; he cemented his legacy.