New Zealand opener Finn Allen produced a stunning batting display in Kolkata on Wednesday, smashing the fastest century in the history of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup during the semifinal against South Africa. His breathtaking knock guided New Zealand to a comfortable chase and secured their place in the tournament final.
Allen remained unbeaten on 100 runs off just 33 balls as the Kiwis chased down a target of 170 with remarkable ease. The explosive innings helped New Zealand reach the total in only 12.5 overs, completing a dominant victory in the high-stakes knockout match.
The right-handed batter lit up the stadium with an aggressive strokeplay that kept the South African bowlers under constant pressure. Allen struck 10 boundaries and cleared the ropes eight times during his innings, maintaining a relentless scoring pace throughout the chase.
With this performance, Allen broke the long-standing record for the fastest century in T20 World Cup history. The previous record was held by West Indies legend Chris Gayle, who reached his hundred in 47 balls against England during the 2016 edition of the tournament.
Allen’s remarkable innings also places him among the fastest century-makers in the history of T20 international cricket. His 33-ball hundred is now tied as the third-fastest century in T20Is, matching the mark set by Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton and Sikandar Raza. The overall record for the fastest T20I century still belongs to Sahil Chauhan of Estonia, who achieved the milestone in just 27 balls.
The record-breaking innings not only highlighted Allen’s destructive batting ability but also demonstrated New Zealand’s dominance in the semifinal. The team’s rapid chase left little room for South Africa to recover, as Allen’s attack effectively took the game away within the first half of the innings.
Over the years, several explosive centuries have been recorded in T20 World Cup matches, but Allen’s effort now stands at the top of the list. Some of the fastest hundreds in the tournament’s history include Chris Gayle’s 47-ball century against England in 2016 and another 50-ball hundred by Gayle against South Africa in the inaugural 2007 edition.
New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum previously held one of the fastest World Cup hundreds as well, reaching the milestone in 51 balls against Bangladesh in 2012. South Africa’s Riley Rossouw also produced a quick century in 52 balls against Bangladesh during the 2022 tournament.
Allen’s stunning performance has now rewritten the record books and propelled New Zealand one step closer to the T20 World Cup title.
