Finn Allen Scores the Fastest Century in T20 World Cup History
On March 4, 2026, at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, New Zealand opener Finn Allen rewrote cricket history by smashing the fastest century ever recorded in a T20 World Cup — off just 33 balls — against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final.
Not only did Allen break the T20 World Cup record, but his hundred also set several additional milestones simultaneously:
- ✅ Fastest T20 World Cup century (33 balls) — any format, any World Cup
- ✅ Broke Rohit Sharma’s record for the fastest T20I century by a full-member nation batter (35 balls vs Sri Lanka, 2017)
- ✅ Joint third-fastest T20I century of all time (across all international cricket)
- ✅ Fastest T20I century by any batter against a full-member nation
- ✅ New Zealand’s fastest ever T20I century (surpassing Glenn Phillips’ 46-ball effort vs West Indies, 2020)
Finn Allen’s Record Innings — Ball by Ball Breakdown
Allen finished with 100 not out off 33 balls, with a strike rate of 303.03. He hit 10 fours and 8 sixes — the joint highest boundary count in a T20 World Cup innings alongside Brendon McCullum’s legendary 123 vs Bangladesh in 2012.
The pivotal moment came in the 13th over of New Zealand’s chase. With 21 needed to win, Allen launched a ferocious assault on Marco Jansen: four, four, six, six, four — sealing the win and his century in the same delivery, a boundary over mid-off that stunned the Proteas and electrified Eden Gardens.
Fastest T20I Centuries of All Time — Full Member Nations
Finn Allen’s century is also historic in the wider T20I context:
How Finn Allen Broke Rohit Sharma’s 9-Year Record
Former India captain Rohit Sharma held the record for the fastest T20I century by a full-member nation batter for 9 years — a 35-ball blitz against Sri Lanka in 2017. Rohit’s record was considered one of the most untouchable in T20 cricket.
Allen eclipsed it with a 33-ball effort, and did so on the grandest possible stage — a World Cup semi-final, chasing, against one of the tournament’s form sides. Whereas Rohit’s record came in a bilateral series, Allen’s came under maximum pressure at Eden Gardens with 60,000 fans watching.
Allen is one of New Zealand’s most explosive batters. He joins Brendon McCullum and Glenn Phillips as New Zealanders to score a century at a T20 World Cup.
How This Century Compares to Other Legendary T20 Knocks
vs Brendon McCullum — 123 vs Bangladesh (T20 WC 2012) McCullum’s century in 56 balls in the inaugural tournament is a legend of the game. Allen was nearly twice as fast, but McCullum’s innings was in a different era of T20 cricket.
vs Chris Gayle — 100 vs England (T20 WC 2016) Gayle held the T20 World Cup record (47 balls) for a decade. Allen demolished it by 14 balls.
vs Glenn Maxwell — 40-ball ODI WC century (2023) Allen’s 33-ball hundred is now the fastest century in World Cup cricket history across all formats, beating Maxwell’s ODI effort.
What Makes Allen’s Innings So Remarkable
The stage: A World Cup semi-final. Not a bilateral series. Not a warm-up. A knockout match with everything at stake.
The opponent: South Africa were unbeaten in the tournament and one of the most feared bowling attacks, featuring Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Marco Jansen.
The method: 10 fours and 8 sixes. Not slogging — clean, precise hitting to all parts of the ground.
The timing: He completed his century and the winning runs in the same shot. Drama doesn’t come bigger than that.
The result: New Zealand won by 9 wickets with 43 balls to spare — one of the most comprehensive semi-final victories in T20 World Cup history.
Glenn Phillips’ Previous NZ Record
The previous New Zealand record for a T20I century was held by Glenn Phillips, who scored a century in 46 balls against the West Indies in 2020. Allen obliterated that record by 13 balls. Phillips himself scored a T20 World Cup century in 2022 against Sri Lanka.
Q: What is the fastest century in T20 World Cup history?
A: Finn Allen’s 33-ball century vs South Africa in the 2026 T20 World Cup semi-final is the fastest in tournament history.
Q: What is the fastest T20I century ever?
A: The fastest T20I century overall is 27 balls by Sahil Chauhan of Estonia vs Cyprus in 2024. Among full-member nations, Finn Allen’s 33-ball effort (2026) is the fastest.
Q: Whose record did Finn Allen break?
A: Allen broke Rohit Sharma’s record of 35 balls (vs Sri Lanka, 2017) for the fastest T20I century by a full-member nation batter, and Chris Gayle’s 47-ball effort for the fastest century in T20 World Cup history.
Q: How many sixes did Finn Allen hit vs South Africa?
A: Finn Allen hit 8 sixes and 10 fours in his 100 not out off 33 balls.
Q: Is this the fastest century in ODI World Cup history too?
A: Yes. Allen’s 33-ball hundred also surpassed Glenn Maxwell’s 40-ball ODI World Cup century (2023), making it the fastest century in World Cup history across both T20 and ODI formats.
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