Finn Allen etched his name into the record books with a remarkable 33-ball century against South Africa during the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final. The Proteas had entered the knockout stage as one of the most impressive teams in the tournament, reaching the semi-finals without suffering a defeat. They had also beaten New Zealand earlier in the competition, but Allen ensured the result was different this time at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
His explosive innings not only powered New Zealand in a crucial match but also resulted in several historic milestones.
Records Finn Allen Achieved with His 33-Ball Century
- Fastest Century in T20 World Cup History
Allen brought up his hundred in just 33 deliveries, breaking the previous tournament record of 47 balls set by Chris Gayle against England in 2016. - First Century in a T20 World Cup Knockout Match
He became the first cricketer to score a century in either a semi-final or final of the T20 World Cup. The previous highest individual score in a semi-final was Tillakaratne Dilshan’s unbeaten 96 in 2009. - Fastest T20I Century Against a Full Member Nation
His hundred off 33 balls surpassed the joint record of 35 deliveries previously held by Rohit Sharma (against Sri Lanka in 2017) and David Miller (against Bangladesh in 2017). - Most Sixes by a New Zealand Player in a T20 World Cup Innings
Allen struck eight sixes during the innings, setting a new record for New Zealand in a single innings at the tournament. - Joint-Fastest T20I Century by a Full Member Player
The knock matched the record set by Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, who also scored a century in 33 balls against Gambia in 2024. - First T20I Century at Eden Gardens
Allen became the first batter to reach three figures in a T20 International at the historic Kolkata ground, surpassing Sanju Samson’s previous venue-best score of 97. - Fastest T20I Century for New Zealand
His effort comfortably eclipsed Glenn Phillips’ previous national record of a 46-ball century set in 2020. - First Player to Hit 20 Sixes in a Single T20 World Cup Edition
With eight maximums in the semi-final against South Africa, Allen raised his tournament tally to 20 sixes, overtaking the previous mark of 19 set by West Indies’ Shimron Hetmyer.
Allen’s extraordinary innings not only dismantled South Africa’s unbeaten run in the tournament but also produced one of the most record-breaking performances in T20 World Cup history.
