Allen, Seifert clocked these partnership numbers in T20 WC 2026
What's the story
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 was a historic event, with India defending their title successfully for the first time. The tournament saw the Men in Blue beat New Zealand in the final. The Kiwis were powered by their openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert, who constantly racked up runs at the top. Here we look at the partnership records they scripted in the tournament.
Record-breaking feat
Most partnership runs in a T20 WC editions
Having opened eight times together, Allen and Seifert recorded 494 runs at a jaw-dropping average of 70.57. These are now the most runs by any pair in a single T20 WC edition, as per ESPNcricinfo. The NZ went past Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, who recorded 446 runs in the 2024 event. Allen and Seifert were in a league of their own as no other pair could even manage 300 partnership runs in the 2026 competition.
Run rate
A staggering run rate of 11.01
Allen and Seifert accumulated runs at a staggering rate of 11.01 per over. No other pair with 300 runs in a T20 WC edition had a run rate of even 10. Only once across eight innings the NZ duo failed to record a 30-plus partnership in this edition. They also became the fifth pair and first from New Zealand to register multiple 100-plus partnerships in a T20 WC edition (2).
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Second-highest partnership in T20 World Cup
In the group stage of the recent event, the Kiwis chased down 174 without losing a wicket, with Allen and Seifert slamming blazing half-centuries. Having added 175* runs, the NZ duo recorded the then highest partnership in T20 World Cup history (any wicket). Pakistan openers Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan later went past the duo by adding 176 runs against Sri Lanka. Hence, Allen and Seifert now sit second on this elite list.
Semi-final feat
117 runs in the semi-final vs South Africa
Allen and Seifert up a blistering 117-run stand off just 55 balls against South Africa in the semi-final clash. This is the second-highest partnership in the semi-final or final of a T20 WC match. The NZ stars are only behind England's Jos Buttler and Alex Hales, who added 170 runs in the 2022 semi-final versus India.
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Both batters ended among the top-five highest run-getters
Seifert ended as the second-highest run-scorer of this edition. He scored 326 runs at an average of 46.57 and a strike rate of 166.3 (50s: 4). The dasher became the first keeper to clock 300-plus runs in a T20 WC season. Allen ended fifth on the table with 298 runs at 49.66 and a strike rate of 200.00, including a century against South Africa in the semi-final match. He clocked the second-most sixes in a T20 WC edition (20).