Opening batter Finn Allen smashed a brilliant century against Pakistan to shatter former captain Brendon McCullum’s record for the highest T20I score by a New Zealand batter.

NZ vs PAK, 3rd T20I: Live score and updates

Allen scored 137 runs off 62 deliveries to take his side to a mammoth total of 224 for 7 in their first innings against Pakistan in the third T20I of their five-match series at the University Oval in Dunedin.

Allen broke a 12-year-old record set by McCullum as he smashed the Pakistan bowling attack all around the park. He went past McCullum’s 123 against Bangladesh in 2012 to register the highest T20I score for New Zealand.

The highest T20I individual score belongs to former Australia captain Aaron Finch, who smashed 172 runs against Zimbabwe in 2018. Allen’s knock also puts him in 5^th place in the all-time individual scores in T20I cricket.

Allen’s knock included five boundaries and 16 sixes, helping him level the record for the joint-most sixes hit in a T20I innings.

Highest scores by NZ batters in men’s T20Is

Finn Allen – 137 off 62 vs Pakistan in Dunedin 2024

Brendon McCullum – 123 off 58 vs Bangladesh in Pallekele in 2012

Brendon McCullum – 116 off 56 vs Australia in Christchurch in 2010

Colin Munro – 109 off 57 vs India in Rajkot in 2017

Glenn Phillips – 108 off 51 vs West Indies in Mount Maunganui in 2020

After losing the wicket of opener Devon Conway early in the first innings, Allen formed a 125-run partnership with Tim Siefert for the second wicket, with the wicket-keeping batter contributing with 31 runs before being dismissed by Mohammad Wasim Junior.

Allen continued his onslaught and went on to complete his second T20I hundred to take New Zealand to 224 for 7. New Zealand have a chance of sealing the five-match series in Dunedin, having won the opening two matches against Pakistan.