Finn Allen’s record ton blasts New Zealand past South Africa into T20 World Cup final

• New Zealand, 173-1, bt South Africa, 169-8, by 9 wkts

• Black Caps opener Allen blasts 100 not out from 33 balls

South Africa won every match they could afford to lose in this tournament and then lost the first one that they had to win. They were completely marmalised by New Zealand, who won the first semi-final by nine wickets. Finn Allen ripped through South Africa’s feared fast bowling attack, and hit an unbeaten hundred off just 33 balls. It was the fastest century in the history of the competition, and, as Allen said himself, the innings of his life. Only two batters have ever hit a faster ton in international T20 cricket.

South Africa’s captain, Aiden Markram, blamed the change in conditions for throwing off his team. “We’ll reflect as a group,” he said, “We’ll let the emotions settle first and foremost and once they do we’ll get back on the horse and try and get better. But we’re obviously hugely disappointed with the result, it feels like we’ve been slapped in the face.”