History was rewritten at Eden Gardens! New Zealand’s Finn Allen shattered the record books, smashing the fastest hundred in T20 World Cup history in just 33 balls. Obliterating Chris Gayle’s long-standing 47-ball record, Allen’s explosive 2026 semi-final masterclass against South Africa has propelled the Kiwis into the Grand Final. Is this the greatest T20 innings ever? Explore the new top 5 fastest centurions now.
The "City of Joy" became a city of sheer terror for bowlers on March 4, 2026 at ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. At the iconic Eden Gardens, New Zealand's Finn Allen didn't just win a semi-final; he vaporised the history books. In a display of power-hitting that bordered on the impossible, Allen smashed the fastest century in T20 World Cup history, reaching the triple-figure mark in a staggering 33 balls.
If Chris Gayle's 47-ball record was the gold standard for a decade, Finn Allen just turned it into ancient history.
In the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 chasing a target of 170 against South Africa—a side that had been unbeaten throughout the tournament—New Zealand needed a spark. Instead, they got a wildfire.
Finn Allen opened his account with clinical boundaries but shifted into "god mode" after the third over. He reached his 50 in just 19 balls, and then the real madness began. He took a mere 14 more deliveries to score the next 50 runs. By the time he slapped a boundary off Marco Jansen to reach his 100, the Proteas were already looking for the exit gates. His final stat line read like a video game: 10 fours and 8 sixes, with a strike rate of over 303.00.
For years, Chris Gayle's 47-ball ton against England in 2016 was thought to be the peak of T20 World Cup batting. Not anymore. Allen's 33-ball masterpiece is now the fastest-ever in the tournament and the first-ever century scored in a T20 World Cup knockout match.
The 2026 edition has been a graveyard for records, with England's Harry Brook also recording a 50-ball century earlier in the tournament. However, Allen has now set a bar so high that it might take another decade even to come close to it.
| Rank | Player | Team | Balls | Opponent | Year |
| 1 | Finn Allen | New Zealand | 33 | South Africa | 2026 |
| 2 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 47 | England | 2016 |
| 3 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 50 | South Africa | 2007 |
| 4 | Harry Brook | England | 50 | Pakistan | 2026 |
| 5 | Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | 51 | Bangladesh | 2012 |
This victory has propelled New Zealand into the 2026 T20 World Cup Final in Ahmedabad. They will face either India or England in the summit clash on Sunday. With Finn Allen and Tim Seifert (who scored a blistering 58) in this kind of form, the Kiwis are no longer the "underdogs"—they are the favourites.
Also Read: Highest Team Totals in T20 World Cup History: Records Broken in 2026
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History was rewritten at Eden Gardens! New Zealand’s Finn Allen shattered the record books, smashing the fastest hundred in T20 World Cup history in just 33 balls. Obliterating Chris Gayle’s long-standing 47-ball record, Allen’s explosive 2026 semi-final masterclass against South Africa has propelled the Kiwis into the Grand Final. Is this the greatest T20 innings ever? Explore the new top 5 fastest centurions now.
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