Finn Allen produced one of the most breathtaking innings in the history of white-ball cricket, smashing the fastest century ever recorded at a T20 World Cup as New Zealand steamrolled South Africa by nine wickets in the first semi-final at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on March 4.

The 25-year-old opener needed just 33 deliveries to reach three figures, obliterating the previous record and leaving the Proteas attack in tatters. Allen struck ten fours and eight sixes during his extraordinary knock, treating every South African bowler with equal disdain. The capacity crowd in Kolkata was left in stunned admiration as boundaries rained down on all sides of the ground.

Allen was not alone in his assault. He and opening partner Tim Seifert forged a devastating opening partnership of 117 runs in a mere 55 balls, effectively ending the contest before it had truly begun. The pair took the pace off the required rate so dramatically that New Zealand cruised past the finish line with 43 balls to spare, completing their chase of 170 in just 12.5 overs.

Earlier, South Africa had posted what appeared to be a competitive total of 169 for 8 from their 20 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat. Marco Jansen was the standout performer with the bat for the Proteas, blazing 55 runs off just 30 balls to inject momentum into the innings. However, his efforts proved woefully insufficient against Allen's record-breaking onslaught.

For South Africa, the defeat marks a painful exit from a tournament in which they had topped their Super 8 group with an unbeaten record. The Proteas, who have long been associated with heartbreak at global events, once again fell short at the knockout stage. Their bowlers simply had no answers to Allen's devastating hitting, and the match was over almost before it started.

New Zealand, meanwhile, have booked their place in a second T20 World Cup final, and they will head to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8 brimming with confidence. The manner of their victory, achieved with such ruthless efficiency, sends a powerful message to whoever emerges from the second semi-final.

That second semi-final takes place on March 5 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where defending champions India face England in what promises to be another blockbuster encounter. India advanced to the knockouts after a thrilling five-wicket victory over West Indies, chasing down 195 with four balls remaining, while England topped their Super 8 group with three consecutive wins.

The tournament has already shattered viewership records, surpassing 500 million viewers in India alone according to ICC chairman Jay Shah, making it the most-watched T20 World Cup edition in history. With the semi-finals and final still to come, those numbers are only expected to climb.

For now, though, the tournament belongs to Finn Allen. His 33-ball century will be replayed for years to come, a reminder that in T20 cricket, one player in sublime form can reduce even the highest-quality opposition to mere spectators. New Zealand will hope he has at least one more such performance left in him when the final rolls around on Sunday.