Black Caps batter Finn Allen says botched anthem was ‘pretty funny’ with players in hysterics

Black Caps batter Finn Allen admits it was hard not to laugh after a major technical error saw the New Zealand national anthem played at double speed before their T20 World Cup match against England in Colombo.

The unusual moment occurred at R. Premadasa Stadium, when ‘God Defend New Zealand’ began playing over the stadium speakers at an abnormally fast tempo.

Television cameras captured members of the Black Caps squad and support staff trying to keep up with the pace, while others were visibly amused by the unexpected gaffe.

England did have the last laugh, as they pulled off a stunning four-wicket win, where they reeled off 43 runs from the final three overs.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Weekend Sport, Allen said the players saw the funny side of the error.

“I felt bad because a few of us couldn’t stop [laughing] and we were trying not to laugh,” Allen said.

“The camera you can kind of see the little wheelie thing at the front straight on you and you’re trying not to lose it.

“That was pretty funny. It was a bit of a remix. It was quite hard to sing it actually. A few of the boys were struggling to keep up with the pace.”

Despite the loss, the Black Caps remain in the box seat to advance out of the Super Eights and into the semi-finals.

Finn Allen and Tim Seifert added a record partnership to see the Black Caps beat the UAE at the T20 World Cup in India. Photo / Getty Images

For a semi-final spot, New Zealand need Pakistan to either lose to Sri Lanka, or win by a small enough margin that would allow the Black Caps to sneak through on net run rate.

For Allen, he acknowledges he needs to be better with the bat if the Black Caps are to compete for the title.

“It’s been an incredibly frustrating tournament for me,” Aleen said.

“I feel like I’ve had a lot of soft dismissals, in crucial games as well, which is extremely disappointing. I think I’ve been doing the hard work early and getting myself set and then throwing it away.

“I really hope that we can get another crack in this World Cup in the semi final.”

The Black Caps will learn their fate on Sunday morning (NZ time).

New Zealand’s net run rate (+1.390) is currently superior to Pakistan’s (-0.461). However, Pakistan now know the exact circumstances they need to win in to progress.

Should Pakistan bat first, they’d need to win by 64 runs to leapfrog New Zealand into the last four. If they bat second, they’ll have to chase any target down in 13.1 or fewer overs.