New Zealand opener Finn Allen produced a record-breaking century to guide his side to a 45-run victory against Pakistan in the third T20I today at the University Oval in Dunedin. He played a blistering knock of 137 off 62 balls to guide the Kiwis to a mammoth total of 224 runs in the first innings. With this, Allen emerged as New Zealand’s highest scorer in the history of T20I cricket.
The 24-year-old shattered Brendon McCullum’s record for the highest T20I score registered by a New Zealand cricketer. Former Kiwi skipper McCullum had set the record having scored 123 against Bangladesh back in September 2012. Allen, now, slammed 16 sixes to set up a new record for his country.
Former Australia captain Aaron Finch holds the record for the highest individual score achieved in a T20I match. Finch had set the milestone having scored 172 against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club in July 2018.
Apart from breaking Brendon McCullum’s record, Finn Allen has now also become the joint-most six-hitter during an innings in men’s T20I cricket. Allen equalled the world record, previously set by Hazratullah Zazai of Afghanistan.
“It was good. I just tried to have a solid foundation and play good cricket shots. What I’ve been working on is trying to have a solid foundation, a solid base and trying to build from there and hit the ball where it’s supposed to go. It’s about picking my moments when it’s time to go and picking bowlers. I think for me just playing the ball on its merits and where it’s supposed to go is what I’ve been trying to do,” Finn Allen was quoted as saying by news agency AP.
Batting first, New Zealand posted a solid total of 224 runs losing seven wickets. Pacer Haris Rauf was Pakistan’s best performer with the ball in the match. Rauf picked up two wickets having conceded 60 runs in his four overs.
Pakistan, during the run chase, did not have a positive start to their batting having lost opening batter Saim Ayub for 10 in the fourth over. Ex-Pakistan skipper Babar Azam offered a fightback with his stupendous knock of 37-ball 58. Babar’s half-century, however, proved to be futile as the visitors fell short of the target by 45 runs.
The emphatic 45-run victory helped New Zealand extend their lead to 3-0 in the five-match series against Pakistan. The penultimate fixture of the T20I series is scheduled to be played at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Friday, January 19.
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