Semi-final hero Finn Allen says New Zealand’s thumping win over South Africa is a “huge confidence booster” as they chase their maiden T20 World Cup title.
The opener hit the fastest T20 World Cup century, off 33 balls, to give his side a crushing nine-wicket win and set up a final against India or England in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Allen blasted 10 fours and eight sixes as New Zealand raced to their victory target of 170 with 7.1 overs to spare at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
It was a bruising defeat for 2024 runners-up South Africa, who had been unbeaten in the tournament.
“They fight hard, they come hard at us, they’ve got good tall, fast bowlers and it makes it challenging for us,” Allen said of Aiden Markram’s side.
“Their boys hit the ball hard, so to get one over them is a huge confidence booster for us going into Sunday. They’ve been the in-form team the whole tournament.”
The Auckland-born Allen rose to the occasion in the knockout match after ordinary outings in the tournament apart from his unbeaten 84 against the UAE in a group fixture.
Allen said his heroics in India would have kept his parents and the nation awake to cheer the team.
“I’m sure my parents are up watching the whole game. Hopefully they’re proud. But I think as a nation, I think hopefully everyone gets behind us and rallies around us for Sunday.”
The final will begin at around 2:30am on Monday morning in New Zealand.
“Obviously, difficult time for people to watch back home but I’m sure people were keeping tabs on the game and hopefully they can get up and have a Monday off at work and watch the final.”
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Allen put on 117 with opening partner Tim Seifert, who made 58, to pummel the opposition attack that included high-quality pacemen Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi.
Seifert was the early aggressor as he raced to 41 off 21 balls before Allen took over and finished with two fours, two sixes and a four to raise his hundred and seal victory.
Allen said batting with Seifert makes life easy.
“He’s in incredible form, he’s an incredible player and I think he’s just showing the world what he can do,” said Allen. “And I think that makes it easy for me to sit back and have the best seat in the house. So, yeah, it’s good fun batting with Timmy.”
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New Zealand squeaked into the semi-finals on net run-rate ahead of Pakistan and lost to South Africa by seven wickets in the group stage.
But Allen said a five-match T20I series in India that the visitors lost 4-1 ahead of the World Cup prepared them for the grind.
“I think it shows the importance of that India series that the boys played before the World Cup,” he said.
“Five games on all black soil [pitches] and I think it just shows that as a team we get up for the fight in those important fixtures.”
– AFP
Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images
