The Black Caps have booked a spot in just their second Twenty20 World Cup final in the most emphatic way, crushing South Africa by nine wickets and 43 balls remaining at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Opener Finn Allen smashed 100 from 33 balls in a stunning performance, the fastest century at a T20 World Cup, after putting on 117 for the opening partnership with Tim Seifert (58 from 33) to lead the Black Caps into the final.
South Africa were the form team of the tournament, heading into the semi-final unbeaten while also having never lost to the Black Caps at the Twenty20 World Cup, including a seven-wicket win in pool play 18 days ago.
But in knockout cricket, past results mean little, and the Black Caps dominated throughout the semi-final, first having South Africa 77 for five before they recovered to make 169. New Zealand then chased it down in just 12.5 overs.
The Black Caps will face either England or hosts India in Monday morning’s final and look to emulate the White Ferns, who won their maiden T20 World Cup two years ago.
Allen brought up his 100 along with the winning runs in an innings which included eight sixes and 10 fours – with 35 runs coming in his last eight balls. Marco Jansen, who early looked to revive South Africa with the bat, finished with 0 for 53 off 2.5 overs.
New Zealand appeared to read the Eden Gardens pitch better after returning to India having played their Super Eight games in Sri Lanka, while South Africa played all their World Cup games in either Delhi or Ahmedabad.
Batting first, South Africa slumped to 77 for five before a 73-run partnership between Jansen and Tristan Stubbs ensured they were not out of it.
Jansen hit five sixes in making 55 from 30 balls coming in at number seven.
Handed the new ball, Canterbury off-spinner Cole McConchie struck twice in the second over. After Quinton de Kock went down the ground for a boundary the previous ball, he looked to do the same again, only to miss-hit it straight to Lockie Ferguson at mid-on.
The following ball, Ryan Rickelton was caught at backward point by Allen, leaving South Africa 12 for 2. But that would be McConchie’s only over as Mitchell Santner stuck to his play.
The Black Caps did get away with two dropped catches and a questionable catch by Daryl Mitchell.
First Rachin Ravindra put down Aiden Markram on three, which could have been costly, but removed him with the ball a few overs later for 18 when Daryl Mitchell took a diving catch - which looked to have possibly touched the turf as Mitchell grabbed it but the TV umpire took little time to confirm it was fine.
Then Glenn Phillips dropped David Miller in the deep in the 10th over but again the error wasn’t punished with the left-hander skying one to Mitchell at long off in the last ball of the 10th over.
When Jimmy Neesham removed Dewald Brevis, chipped to cover for 34, South Africa had lost two wickets in three balls and were in serious trouble at 77-5.
Jansen and Stubbs took their time to get used to the pitch, which appeared to have surprised the South Africans and they scored the first boundary in 16 balls with an outside edge. But between them, they found the boundary 10 times to ensure they had a defendable score, helped by 22 off Neesham in the 18th over.
Matt Henry, playing after flying back from England for the birth of his child, took two wickets in the final over to keep South Africa under 170. Henry, along with Santner and Neesham, will play in a third ICC white ball final having lost their previous attempts.
In the chase, Seifert and Allen made a nervy start with edges finding the boundary and some loose shots falling short of fielders. But they quickly found their rhythm as South Africa showed little variation in the powerplay with six pace bowlers.
The Black Caps’ opening pair put on 84 in the first six overs, the second-highest powerplay in the World Cup, before Seifert reached 50 in 28 balls and then Allen needing just 19 balls to reach the milestone, the fastest against South Africa at a World Cup.
By the time Seifert was bowled by Kagiso Rabada for 58 ending the 117-run opening partnership, the South Africans barely celebrated knowing the damage was done.
“When you see how good South Africa are, to put on a performance like that in a crunch game is pretty pleasing,” skipper Santner said after the win.
“We were very happy with 170 going into the break but in T20, you never know. Wickets on the powerplay would have made it a challenge. But they took it on. And Finny just carried on. And 33-ball 100 is not bad.”
Cameron McMillan has been a sports journalist since 2003 and is NZME’s Deputy Head of Sport.