Since its launch in 2007, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Has given countless unforgettable batting performances. Yet every now and then, an innings comes along that completely redefines what fans think is possible in the shortest format. This is exactly what happened to New Zealand’s explosive opener in the 2026 semi-finals finn allen Produced one of the most astonishing innings the tournament has seen so far.
On March 4, 2026, under the bright lights of Eden Gardens, Allen demolished the South African bowling attack and scored the fastest century in T20 World Cup history. He reached the milestone in just 33 balls, rewriting the record books and breaking the mark that had stood for a decade. The previous benchmark was West Indies Icon chris gayleWhose fearless hitting defined power batting for a long time in the tournament. Allen’s incredible effort now tops the list of fastest centuries the competition has ever seen.
Here are the top 5 fastest centuries in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history:
5) Brendon McCullum – 51 balls vs Bangladesh (2012)
New Zealand’s reputation for fearless batting in global tournaments was cemented by their former captain Brendon McCullum during the 2012 edition of the T20 World Cup. Playing against Bangladesh at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, McCullum produced a masterclass in controlled aggression.
Coming in at number three, he destroyed the bowling attack with clean hitting all around the ground. McCullum completed his century in just 51 balls and eventually scored a brilliant inning of 123 runs in 58 balls. His innings included 11 fours and seven skyscraper sixes. What made this innings even more remarkable was that New Zealand’s total reached 191/3, largely due to their contributions – McCullum alone scored 123 runs, while the rest of the batting lineup contributed just 68 runs.
3) Harry Brook – 50 balls vs Pakistan (2026)
England’s modern white-ball revolution has produced many fearless hitters, and their captain Harry Brook has added his name to the history books in the 2026 edition of the tournament. Facing Pakistan during the Super Eight stage in Pallekele, Brook moved early and completely changed the pace of the game.
Chasing a challenging target of 167, the young English captain played with remarkable composure and authority. Brook completed his century in just 50 balls, hitting 10 fours and 4 sixes. His innings was historic for another reason too – he became the first captain to score a century in a T20 World Cup match. England eventually secured a thrilling victory by two wickets and Brook’s innings proved crucial in keeping their title hopes alive.
3) Chris Gayle – 50 balls vs South Africa (2007)
In the first T20 World Cup in 2007, there was a moment that changed the perception of T20 cricket forever. Opening the batting for West Indies, the great Chris Gayle created history against host nation South Africa in Johannesburg.
Gayle completed his century in exactly 50 balls and scored a brilliant 117 runs in 57 balls. This innings was historic as it became the first century scored in international T20 cricket. Gayle along with Devon Smith added 145 runs for the first wicket and helped West Indies post a huge score of 205/6. Although South Africa managed to chase down the target in a thrilling encounter, Gayle’s innings became one of the defining moments of early T20 cricket.
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2) Chris Gayle – 47 balls vs England (2016)
Almost a decade later, Gayle once again proved why he earned the nickname ‘Universe Boss’. During the 2016 tournament at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the West Indies superstar put in another unforgettable performance.
Chasing the challenging score of 183 runs against England, Gayle made a strong counterattack. He completed his century in only 47 balls and remained unbeaten after scoring 100 runs in 48 balls. His innings included 11 fours and five sky-high sixes and led West Indies to a comfortable six-wicket win. For the next ten years, this remained the fastest century in T20 World Cup history.
1) Finn Allen – 33 balls vs South Africa (2026)
Then came the night that rewrote history. In the semi-finals of the 2026 tournament, Finn Allen played an innings that surprised players, commentators and fans alike.
Chasing the target of 170, Allen and fellow opener Tim Seifert launched an aggressive attack from the start. Allen completed his half-century in just 19 balls – the fastest half-century so far in a T20 World Cup knockout match. But he was far from complete.
He completed his century in the next 14 balls and surprisingly reached three figures in 33 balls. His unbeaten 100 included 10 fours and eight sky-high sixes and he scored at a whopping strike rate of over 300. The opening partnership with Seifert produced 117 runs, allowing New Zealand to reach the target in just 12.5 overs. Won a spectacular victory by nine wickets And securing their place in the finals.
Allen’s explosive inning not only broke Gayle’s long-standing record, but also set a new benchmark for power hitting in T20 cricket – one that may stand for years to come.
