13 deliveries. That’s how much more Finn Allen could’ve batted and still registered the fastest hundred in T20 World Cup history.
Finn Allen manhandles South Africa in Kolkata
The swashbuckling opener from New Zealand made light work of the 170-run chase against South Africa in the first semifinal of the T20 World Cup 2026 by smashing a 33-ball hundred. After a splendid effort from the Kiwi bowlers, Allen virtually finished the game on their own.
With a 22-run over, Allen finished the powerplay at 43 (15). New Zealand had already erased the target by 84 runs with 14 overs left. From here, it wasn’t even a run-a-ball for the Black Caps. Tim Seifert kept up with Allen in the powerplay but slowed down after the field opened up. However, Allen’s destruction didn’t stop.
He reached his fifty in just 19 balls, the fastest for a New Zealand batter in the T20 World Cup. In the next 14 balls, Allen scored exactly 50 runs to bring up his 3rd T20I hundred. The fastest ever in the event’s history.
Fastest hundred in T20 World Cup
| Batter | Balls | Match | Edition |
| Finn Allen | 33 | South Africa vs New Zealand | 2026 |
| Chris Gayle | 47 | West Indies vs England | 2016 |
| Chris Gayle | 50 | West Indies vs South Africa | 2007 |
| Harry Brook | 50 | England vs Pakistan | 2026 |
| Brendon McCullum | 51 | New Zealand vs Bangladesh | 2012 |
At the 10th over mark, a century looked like a far-fetched thought. He was 58(23) with New Zealand needing just 46 to win. Rachin Ravindra just rotated the strike, and with the Kiwis needing 21 to run, Allen smashed Marco Jansen to smithereens.
Five consecutive boundaries in that over, the 13th, and Allen smashed the fastest ever hundred in T20 World Cup history. But it wasn’t just that. Allen’s 33-ball hundred is the joint third-fastest hundred in T20Is and the joint-fastest for full-member nation batters.
Fastest hundred in T20I cricket
| Batter | Balls | Match | Venue | Date |
| Sahil Chauhan | 27 | Estonia vs Cyprus | Episkopi | 17/06/2024 |
| Muhammad Fahad | 29 | Turkey vs Bulgaria | Sofia | 12/07/2025 |
| Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton | 33 | Namibia vs Nepal | Kirtipur | 27/02/2024 |
| Sikandar Raza | 33 | Zimbabwe vs Gambia | Nairobi (Ruaraka) | 23/10/2024 |
| Finn Allen | 33 | South Africa vs New Zealand | Kolkata | 04/03/2026 |
Of course, New Zealand is now in the T20 World Cup 2026 final. They’ll travel to Ahmedabad and have 3 days to prepare for the final showdown at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Meanwhile, India and England will face off in the second semifinal in Mumbai on March 5 to decide who’ll face the Black Caps.
