New Zealand stormed into the Twenty20 World Cup final with a nine-wicket demolition of South Africa in the first semifinal at the Eden Gardens.
Put into bat, South Africa recovered from a precarious 77-5 to post a competitive 169-8 after Marco Jansen led their recovery with a belligerent 55 not out.
Finn Allen smashed an unbeaten 100 off 33 balls, however, and shared a 117-run opening stand with Tim Seifert (58) as New Zealand romped to their target in only 12.5 overs.
Allen’s achievement was the fastest century scored at a T20 cricket World Cup.
“We wanted to start well and put them on the back foot early,” Allen said. “It is easy for me when Tim [Seifert] is going like that. The way he batted got us off to an absolute flyer.
“It is easy in semifinals to stay up for the fight, and with Tim [Seifert] we keep each other in it, and we enjoy it out there together.”
Earlier, Jansen’s fifty came in response to the Kiwis’ spinners Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie taking two wickets each before Tristan Stubbs and Jansen put on 73 to rescue the innings at Kolkata, India’s Eden Gardens.
Stubbs (29) and Jansen, who hit two fours and five sixes in his 30-ball knock, helped set New Zealand a target of 170 to reach the final.
India successfully chased 196 against the West Indies on Sunday on the same ground.
South Africa were the only unbeaten team in the tournament, while New Zealand had edged into the semifinals on net run rate.
McConchie struck first in the second over with his off-spin to send back Quinton de Kock for 10 and Ryan Rickelton next ball, but Dewald Brevis avoided the hat-trick.
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