New Zealand is heading to the T20 World Cup 2026 final, and they have Finn Allen to thank for it. The explosive opener delivered a jaw-dropping performance against South Africa in the semi-final at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on March 4. His innings rewrote the record books and left the cricket world stunned.
Allen scored an unbeaten century off just 33 balls, the fastest hundred in Men’s T20 World Cup history, as New Zealand chased down South Africa’s total of 169 with nine wickets to spare in just 12.5 overs. It was a completely one-sided contest once Allen got going.
Moreover, Allen became the first batter to score a hundred in a knockout match at the Men’s T20 World Cup. No one had managed it in the tournament’s history before him. That alone makes this innings truly special.
Who Will Face New Zealand In The Final: India or England?
New Zealand now waits in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8. However, their opponent is yet to be decided.
India and England meet in the second semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5. Remarkably, this is the third consecutive T20 World Cup semi-final between these two sides, with England winning in 2022 and India turning the tables in 2024. On both occasions, the winning team went on to lift the trophy.
India entered the game as defending champions and clear favourites. Varun Chakravarthy leads the bowling attack with 12 wickets, while captain Suryakumar Yadav tops the run charts with 231 runs at a strike rate of 135.88. Additionally, Sanju Samson’s brilliant 97 not out off 50 balls against West Indies gave India fresh momentum heading into this knockout tie.
England, on the other hand, has fought hard to reach this stage. Captain Harry Brook has scored 228 runs in the tournament, including a century against Pakistan, while Adil Rashid leads the wicket column with 11 scalps. Furthermore, Will Jacks has won four Player of the Match awards, carrying England through tight situations throughout the campaign.
This is the 30th T20 international between the two sides, with India leading the head-to-head record 17 wins to 12. One team will complete a hat-trick of semi-final appearances with a trip to the final. The other goes home.
Finn Allen has already done his part. Now, cricket waits to see who joins him in Ahmedabad.
