New Zealand roar into T20 World Cup final with dominant win as South Africa coach denies his team ‘choked’

New Zealand upset the odds to thrash South Africa in their T20 World Cup semi-final SportCricketNew Zealand roar into T20 World Cup final with dominant win as South Africa coach denies his team ‘choked’New Zealand upset the odds to thrash South Africa in their T20 World Cup semi-finalRory Dollard Wednesday 04 March 2026 19:12 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoveropen image in galleryNew Zealand dominated their semi-final against South Africa (Reuters)Your support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreNew Zealand delivered a stunning upset in the T20 World Cup semi-final, crushing previously undefeated South Africa by nine wickets thanks to a record-breaking century from Finn Allen. The Black Caps now advance to face either England or India in the final, following a dominant performance that dismantled the tournament favourites.South Africa had entered the semi-final at Eden Gardens as the team to beat, boasting a perfect record of seven consecutive wins, including a group stage victory over New Zealand. However, their formidable run came to an abrupt and emphatic end as they were comprehensively outplayed.New Zealand, who had also suffered a defeat to England in the Super 8s, restricted their opponents to 169 for eight with a disciplined bowling display. What followed was a chase that appeared effortless, spearheaded by a brutal opening partnership that effectively ended the contest within the first nine overs.Finn Allen, alongside Tim Seifert, unleashed an onslaught, putting on 117 runs. While Seifert departed for a rapid 58, Allen continued his relentless assault, smashing an unbeaten 100 from just 33 deliveries to seal victory with a remarkable 43 balls remaining. open image in galleryMitchell Santner was delighted with his team's performance (AFP via Getty Images)This century stands as the fastest in the tournament’s history, culminating in his final five balls disappearing for three fours and two sixes off a shellshocked Marco Jansen.Victorious skipper Mitchell Santner lauded his team’s performance, particularly the batting heroics. He said: "It was special. That was nice to watch, I’m not going to lie. They took it on and Finny just carried on…a 33-ball hundred is not bad. I don’t know if it was a perfect game, but earlier we have been good in periods and today we were good all the way through."Conversely, a dejected South Africa coach Shukri Conrad, who has previously dismissed suggestions of his team ‘choking’ in major tournaments, offered a stark assessment. "I don’t know if tonight was a choke. I thought it was a bloody walloping," he stated. "I think in order for you to choke, you must have had a sniff in the game. We didn’t have a sniff. We chose a really crappy time to have a bad night. Full marks to them, they were a hell of a lot better than us tonight."New Zealand’s masterstroke began after winning the toss and opting to bowl, with veteran off-spinner Cole McConchie introduced in the second over. He immediately made an impact, dismissing left-handers Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton with successive deliveries, completing his only over with two crucial wickets.open image in gallerySouth Africa coach Shukri Conrad denied that his team choked (Getty Images)Despite Aiden Markram being dropped by Rachin Ravindra, preventing a deeper collapse at 22 for three, South Africa struggled to build momentum. Apart from an expensive over from Jimmy Neesham, the Black Caps maintained control. They were well short at the halfway mark, 77 for four, following David Miller’s cheap dismissal, though Dewald Brevis’ 34 and an attacking 55 not out from Jansen offered some late hope.However, any South African optimism quickly evaporated as Allen and Seifert launched their devastating attack during the powerplay. The pair plundered 84 wicketless runs in the first six overs, capitalising on fielding restrictions with nine fours and five sixes.The runs continued to flow relentlessly, transforming the match into a procession rather than a contest, with Corbin Bosch conceding 35 runs in just 12 balls. Seifert reached his fifty first but was eventually bowled by Kagi