New Zealand’s T20 juggernaut rolled on as they thrashed South Africa by 9 wickets in the World Cup 2026 semi-final at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens. This emphatic win propels them into their second final, four years after their near-miss against Australia.
Facing an unbeaten South Africa – who had toppled them in the group stage – New Zealand showed champion mettle. Toss win and bowl-first decision paid dividends. South Africa stuttered to 169/8, with only Marco Jansen’s gritty 55* off 30 balls offering resistance amid disciplined Kiwi bowling.
The run-chase was poetry in motion. Openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert raced to 117/0 in 9.1 overs. Seifert departed for a quick 58 (33 balls), but Allen’s fireworks lit up the sky: a sensational 100 off 33 deliveries, featuring 10 fours and 8 sixes – etching his name in T20 World Cup lore as the fastest ton.
New Zealand sealed 173/1 in 12.5 overs. Recalling 2021, they’d beaten England for a final berth, posting 172/4 (Williamson 85). Australia, powered by Warner (53) and Marsh (77), chased in 18.5 overs for an 8-wicket win and their first T20 crown. History awaits New Zealand in the 2026 decider.