SA vs NZ 1st Semi-Final Commentary - Kolkata (04 March 2026)

FOUR! Cheeky! Full and across the right-hander. Allen walks across the stumps and gets low to get under the ball. He uses the pace on the ball and scoops it towards deep fine leg for a four.

FOUR MORE! Jansen goes searching for the yorker but ends up serving a low full toss, on the pads. Allen hangs low to swat it away. One hand comes off the bat handle but he manages to get it away to the right of deep square leg for a boundary. 13 more needed for the Kiwis.

 SIX! That has been deposited into the Hooghly River. Short from Jansen, on the bodyline, Finn Allen stands tall and authoritatively nails the pull shot miles into the crowd behind deep mid-wicket for an enormous six.

 SIX! He has got an answer for everything, has Allen. He goes to 96 off just 32 balls. A real slot ball, on the stumps, Finn Allen clears the front leg and butchers it over the long on fence for a cracking six. SCORES ARE LEVEL!

 FOUR! HUNDRED FOR FINN ALLEN! Off just 33 balls. South Africa are left absolutely stunned at the Eden Gardens by what Allen has produced tonight. Simply outstanding. As per the on-air commentator, Aaron Finch, this is the fastest T20 World Cup century by any batter. Coming to the delivery, it is a full ball from Jansen, outside the off stump. Finn Allen stays put and blasts it over the mid off fielder for a boundary to finish things off in style and authority. NEW ZEALAND QUALIFY FOR THE GRAND FINALE! They win by 9 wickets and 43 balls to spare.

At the stumps, on a length, Rachin jabs it to mid-wicket, where the fielder dives to his right to prevent the single.

Across again, on a good length, Ravindra punches it back to the bowler.

Shorter and outside off, Rachin hits it along the ground to long off for a run.

FOUR! Gets it away! Sliding into the pads from around the wicket, on a length. Allen goes deep in the crease and nurdles it behind square leg. The fine leg is up inside the circle and the ball skips across the practice pitches to find the fence.

SIX! Hit flat but wide enough! Fractionally short, on middle and leg. Finn is quick to pick up the length. He goes back in the crease and just jabs at it. Hits it away from Marco Jansen at long on to his right for a six.

On off, on a nagging length. Finn hits it to long off and retains the strike with a single. 21 more needed for New Zealand.

FOUR! Lovely wristwork! Honing in at the stumps, on a length. Ravindra brings his wrists into play and works it to the left of the diving mid on fielder for a boundary.

On middle and leg, on a good length, Ravindra punches it with a straight bat to mid on.

A hint of seam movement away from the batter, on a good length. Rachin taps it in front of mid off and takes a quick single.

Short of a length, on top of off. Allen has a heave across the line. Mistimes it off the inner half to deep square leg. He limps a bit as he crosses over.

Across off, on a good length, swatted towards wide mid on for a run.

SIX! BANG! Bosch bends his back and digs it in short, over middle. Allen stays leg side of the ball and stands tall to pull it over deep mid-wicket. Not quite from the middle of the blade but more than enough to clear the fence. Allen hobbles after completing the shot. Rachin calls for the physio for his partner. New Zealand need 33 more runs.

OUT! KNOCKED HIM OVER! Finally, finally, something to clutch onto for the Proteas as Kagiso Rabada breaks the enormous 117-run opening stand. No celebrations from Rabada, just a cold, straight face as he knows they are still way behind in the game. It is a length ball that jags back into the batter off the rough patch. Tim Seifert lines up for a pull shot, but the ball skids low, beats the inside edge and crashes into the stumps behind. One of the two bails flew all the way down to the deep fine leg fence. A sublime knock from Tim comes to an end. New Zealand need 53 from 65 balls.

Straight and full, on middle, Rachin crisply drives it to mid off.

Short and on top of middle and leg, Rachin Ravindra hops and glances it to deep square leg for a single to get off the mark.

Spits up from the deck, short of a good length, on leg. Finn Allen looks to nudge it around the corner, but gets undone by the bounce. The ball lobs off the thigh pad and rolls into the square leg region. They cross for a leg bye.

 FOUR! In the midst of wham-bam-slam, there's a touch of class as well! An attempted off cutter from Rabada, on a good length outside off. Rachin Ravindra plays it on the rise and square cuts it to the left of the diving backward point fielder for a boundary.

On a back of a length, on the leg stump line. Rachin stands tall and pulls it to the right of deep backward square leg for an easy run. New Zealand are 124/1 at the halfway stage, needing just 46 runs to win.

 FOUR! Runs are flowing with absolute ease for the Black Caps! Slides one onto the pads, on a fuller length. Finn Allen sits down and across on his knee and nails the paddle sweep to the deep fine leg fence.

 FIFTY FOR FINN ALLEN! Off just 19 balls, the joint-fastest at this World Cup, as informed by Pommie Mbangwa. Finn has been the real aggressor and what a time to turn it on. Good length, sliding in and around middle. Allen works it down to long off for an easy single to get to his half-century.

Sliding on with the arm, on a good length, Tim punches it to long on for a single.

 SIX! OUTTA HERE! A short ball from Keshav, in front of the stumps. Allen gets the ball at a comfortable height. He rocks back quickly and swats it over deep mid-wicket for a huge six.

Flat and full, on off. Allen punches it to cover.

On a length, around the off stump. Allen rocks back and cuts it wide of deep point. It is mopped up in the deep with a slide. Allen collects a couple of runs.

Misfield! That's the last thing South Africa want. Knee length full toss, tailing on the pads. Seifert heaves it to long on. Jansen moves to his right, but fails to collect it cleanly and the ball rolls back. He turns around and stops the ball from going to the ropes, but again fails to pick it up, allowing the batters to pinch in the second.

 FOUR! Fortuitous. FIFTY FOR SEIFERT! Much fuller, and outside off, Tim Seifert tries to smash it over cover, but gets a fat outside edge as the ball sails over the short third fielder and goes over the fence for a boundary. Seifert has ridden his luck, but that's how the game goes sometimes. He brings up his milestone in 28 balls.

Back of a length, at the pads, Seifert misses to flick and the ball rolls off the thigh pad to the square leg region for a leg bye.

Good length, outside off, Allen stands tall and jabs it through point for a run.

 FOUR! Laced away! A slower one from Ngidi, outside off and full. Tim waits on the front foot and creams the cover drive through the gap. Tristan Stubbs charges across from long off to his left, but fails to stop it cleanly. 100 UP FOR NEW ZEALAND!

 BEATEN! There's that slower one from Ngidi. It is that in-dipping slower one, full and outside off, Tim Seifert is totally outfoxed by it. Swings his bat early and gets beaten.

Full and pushed on middle. Seifert leans on and eases it back to Keshav.

Drifts one on leg, on a length, Tim backs away and knocks it to mid-wicket.

 FOUR! Through the gap! A touch short and flat in trajectory, outside off, Tim Seifert rocks back and blasts it wide of cover, beating long off to his left for a boundary.

Makes some room on this length ball and punches it to deep extra cover for a single.

In-dipping length ball, on off, Allen rocks back and drags it down to long on for a single.

Nicely flighted up, full and middle, Tim Seifert gets on the front foot and creams it to deep extra cover for an easy single. 7 runs from Maharaj's first over. New Zealand need 79 runs from 78 balls.

 SIX! Up and over! Short of a good length, outside off, Allen gets to free his arms, as he stands tall and square cuts it over backward point for a cracking six.

 FOUR! Runs are hemorrhaging at an alarming rate for the Proteas. Short again, on middle, sits up nicely for Allen. Finn presses back and pulls it into the gap, bisecting deep mid-wicket and long on for a boundary.

 FOUR! Not from the middle, but it goes to the fence! Back of a length, outside off, Allen throws the kitchen sink at it, attempting to access the off side, but gets a thick outside edge and the ball flies over short third for a boundary.

 FOUR! Geez, that has raced away at the rate of knots! Overpitched delivery from Corbin, on the stumps. Finn Allen smashes it ruthlessly and gun-barrel straight down the ground for a boundary. Corbin helplessly watches it race away.

 FOUR! Fortune favours the brave, they say. It is favouring Allen at the moment. Fuller delivery, just around the off stump. Finn Allen tries to attack it over cover, but slices it between backward point and short third for a boundary.

A rare dot. Digs in a sharp bumper, around off. Allen lets it be. An anticlimactic end to the Powerplay. New Zealand are going ballistic with 84/0.

The 50 is up for New Zealand! This is on a back of a length, on middle. Seifert swings across the line and shanks it off the inner half wide of mid-wicket. The ball does not have enough legs to reach the fence and it is hauled in. Three runs taken.

A bit of lift off the deck, on a short of a length, on off. Finn rises with the bounce and steers it behind point for a single.

Pitched up now, on off. Tim gets the front leg out of the way and smashes it hard but can't get it past mid off.

SIX! In the slot and out of the park! Pace off ball by Rabada that spins back a bit towards the right-hander. He errs in length as this is a bit too full, on off. Tim gets the front leg out of the way and clobbers it over long on for a biggie.

FOUR! Absolutely crunched! After being hit for a six on the previous ball, Rabada drags his length back and Seifert is waiting for it on the back foot. He stands tall and pulls it through mid-wicket for a boundary.

This skids through, on a back of a length, on middle. Tim has a swipe across the line. He is a bit rushed and squeezes out an inside edge onto the pads. Another productive over for New Zealand. 14 runs off it.

Ngidi goes full, on middle. Tim brings his wrists into play and flicks it wide of mid on. Kagiso Rabada dives to his right and takes the sting out of the shot. It slows down near the fence and it is cut off by two chasing men. The batters run the third on the throw.

On a good length, angled in on the off stump. Finn pats it in front of cover and hurries to the other end.

Out comes the off-cutter, fuller and wider on off. Seifert gets his hands through the shot but mistimes it to mid off.

Dipping slower ball, very full, on off. Tim watchfully eases it to long on for one.

Third slower ball in a row by Lungi. Full and around off. Finn cracks the drive but picks out Aiden Markram at mid off. He throws his head back in disappointment at missing out. A bit to either side and it would have been a boundary.

SIX! If you can do it, I can do just as well, says Allen to his partner. Full and at pace, outside off. Finn shuffles across to the stumps and gets low to find the elevation on the scoop. He executes it well and it sails over fine leg for a six.

SIX! Hit with real authority! Jansen angles it across but serves it a bit too full. Allen does not move his feet at all and just swings through the line cleanly. Tonks it back towards the sight screen for a biggie.

The length is pulled back, across off, Allen dabs it behind point and gets to the other end.

A confident shout for caught behind! There is a noise, but the finger stays down. Aiden Markram has a chat with the bowler and the keeper before going for the review. Skidding through, on a back of a length, on middle and leg. Seifert gets the front leg out of the way and has a hoick across the line. The ball goes under the blade and Quinton de Kock grabs it to his left before going up in an appeal. Flat line on UltraEdge when the ball is next to the bat and the noise was of the ball grazing the back leg on its way to the keeper. The third umpire Nitin Menon does not want to check LBW as it is too high. South Africa burn a review.

SIX! Innovative and mighty effective! Angling across, on a good length. Seifert makes the move to the off side and uses the pace on the ball. Plays the scoop over deep fine leg and clears the fence with ease.

FOUR! Easy as you like! Jansen switches to around the wicket and bowls it on off and middle. Not a bad ball at all. This is on a good length. Seifert plays it on the up with a high elbow. He goes back over the bowler's head and picks up a boundary. Tim also holds the pose for the cameras.

Fuller in length, on middle. Seifert knocks it to the left of mid on for a single. 18 runs off the over. New Zealand 133 runs from 102 balls.

In the channel, on a length, Seifert plays out and in front of his body as he taps it to mid off.

In the air...but out of reach! Tim Seifert is living dangerously. Rabada digs it in short, on off. Tim takes it on as he swivels to pull it away. It is skied towards long leg. The keeper, Quinton de Kock goes after it and calls Dewald Brevis running in from deep fine leg to get out of the way. The ball keeps going away from him and he flings himself towards the ball but does not lay even a hand on it. Single taken. Dewald Brevis was closer and in a good position to take that catch.

FOUR! Finn Allen is up and running! On a good length, in and around the off stump. Allen has a slight nibble at it but the outside edge does not go to hand. It goes well wide of the man at slip to his right and races away for a boundary.

Full and on leg, Allen clips it wide of mid-wicket for a single.

Bangs it short and outside off, Seifert gets on top of the bounce, and punches it uppishly, but between the cover and point fielders for a single. Maharaj at cover stops it on the bounce to his left. 

Hard length, outside off, Finn runs it down to deep third for a single.

A bit of nip back into the right-hander, on a short of a length. Seifert presses half-forward to defend it with a straight bat. There is a bit of lift off the deck and Tim ekes out an inside edge on the leg side.

FOUR! Not exactly where Seifert intended, but it does the job. Full and a hint of inward shape, in line with the off stump. Tim pushes out in front, looking to drive it down the ground with a straight bat. Gets a thickish outside edge but it goes all along the ground and through covers for a boundary. Tim and New Zealand are on their way.

Across off, on a length, Seifert slams it on the up but picks out Aiden Markram at mid off.

Fuller and swinging back into the pads. Tim waits on it and stays balanced in the crease. He flicks it neatly to the left of deep square leg for a couple of runs.

FOUR! Edged away! Lands it on a good length with an upright seam, on a good length. This does not come back in and leaves the right-hander on the angle. Seifert looks to clip it away on the leg side but is squared up due to the away angle. Gets an outside edge that goes past short third to his left for a boundary.

Nearly went to hand! Jansen hits the hard length, on off. Tim gets on his toes to ride the bounce and punch it away. The ball catches an outside edge and travels quickly to the man at short third, standing on the edge of the ring, but it drops short. They cross. 11 runs off the first over.