When the team needed just 17 more runs to win, Allen still required 20 runs to reach his hundred. But once Finn Allen began to charge, the result of the match was almost certain—New Zealand still had nine wickets in hand. So Allen pushed forward for his century. With just four quick boundaries, he reached the remarkable milestone of a hundred.
It was an incredible and breathtaking run chase by Finn Allen. Alongside the team’s chase, he was also chasing his personal milestone. New Zealand had never defeated South Africa in the T20 World Cup before. Allen made a fearless effort to end that painful record. He succeeded brilliantly, smashing a magnificent century.
Earlier, New Zealand’s bowlers had put South Africa under immense pressure. The Proteas were almost out of the match after losing five wickets for just 77 runs. However, Marco Jansen kept South Africa fighting with an aggressive batting display. Perhaps Allen did not appreciate that resistance, because he soon unleashed an onslaught.
Partnering with Tim Seifert, Allen began building South Africa’s downfall. At one stage, Allen had fewer runs than Seifert, but he eventually registered the joint-fastest half-century of this World Cup. Allen reached 50 runs in just 19 balls, and from there he accelerated toward his personal century.
Even though the team’s victory was almost guaranteed, Allen never slowed his attacking pace. In the next 14 balls, he reached the magical three-figure mark while matching the runs required for the team’s win. Thanks to his blistering innings at a strike rate above 300, New Zealand secured a dominant victory.
And Allen created a new record. In a T20 clash between two Test-playing nations, Finn Allen smashed a century in just 33 balls—the fastest ever. The previous record belonged to David Miller, who scored a 35-ball century against Bangladesh in 2017.
