In a breathtaking display of aggressive batting, New Zealand crushed South Africa by **9 wickets** in the first semifinal of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the iconic Eden Gardens, chasing down a target of 170 in just **12.5 overs** to book their place in the final.
Finn Allen delivered one of the most destructive innings in T20 World Cup knockout history, remaining **unbeaten on 100 off just 33 balls**. His blistering knock featured **10 fours** and **8 sixes**, powering him to a strike rate of over **303**. Allen reached his century with a boundary off Marco Jansen, leaving the South African bowlers shell-shocked and the Kolkata crowd in awe.
Tim Seifert provided solid support at the other end, scoring a quickfire **58 off 33 balls** (7 fours, 2 sixes) as the opening pair put on **117 runs** before Seifert fell to Kagiso Rabada. Rachin Ravindra finished unbeaten on **13** as New Zealand romped home with **43 balls to spare**.
Earlier, South Africa posted **169/8** after being sent in to bat. Despite a few promising contributions—including Dewald Brevis’s 34 and late cameos from Marco Jansen—the Proteas struggled to accelerate against a disciplined New Zealand attack led by spinners and seamers who exploited the conditions effectively.
New Zealand’s emphatic victory marks their third semifinal win in recent ICC knockout stages and sets up a high-stakes final clash. South Africa, meanwhile, face another heartbreaking semifinal exit, continuing their long wait for an ICC trophy.
The Black Caps now turn their attention to the final, where they will look to go one step further and claim their maiden T20 World Cup title.
**Brief Scores**
South Africa: **169/8** (20 overs)
New Zealand: **173/1** (12.5 overs) – Finn Allen 100* (33), Tim Seifert 58 (33)
**Result**: New Zealand won by 9 wickets (with 43 balls remaining)
New Zealand march on—final bound! 🏆 #T20WorldCup #NZvSA
