A record-shattering 117-run opening partnership between Finn Allen and Tim Seifert in SA vs NZ 2026 semi-final in Kolkata laid the foundation for New Zealand's nine-wicket victory, sealing their place in the T20 World Cup final on Sunday, March 8. The standout performer was Finn Allen (100 runs off 33 balls), whose explosive innings in semi-final turned the game on its head. He raced to the fastest hundered in T20 World Cup tournament history, reaching the milestone in just 33 balls.

Launching a fierce attack at Eden Gardens - Allen propelled New Zealand to a record 84 runs in the powerplay, leaving South Africa’s bowling attack in tatters.

The heavy defeat once again revived South Africa’s long-standing “chokers” tag in men’s cricket. Despite entering the semi-finals as the only unbeaten side in the tournament - and widely regarded as favourites - they fell short at a crucial knockout stage, adding another chapter to their struggles in major ICC events.

SA's innings report

Earlier in the innings, Marco Jansen produced a counterattacking knock of 55* off 30 deliveries, lifting South Africa to a competitive 169/8 in their 20 overs. At one stage, New Zealand had the Proteas in deep trouble at 77/5 after skipper Mitchell Santner won the toss and chose to field.

Although South Africa came into the contest with a dominant 5-0 record against New Zealand in T20 World Cup meetings, they are yet to overcome the Black Caps in the semi-finals of an ICC tournament.

After NZ's historic win, Finn Allen, Player of the match, said: "Yeah I would say it's up there. Wanted to get into good positions and hit the ball. Wanted to put them on the back foot early. The way Seifert batted and got us to a flier helped me as well. We wanted to hit straight and enjoyed it together. You adapt to the wicket, training is important. The boys played a lot on the blacksoil pitches against India before the World Cup so that was good intel. We look forward to the final on Sunday."