India has sought to buy Russian crude to avoid supply shortages as Middle East tensions show no sign of abating. (AI image)

India is back to stepping up purchases of Russian crude as the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war blocks Strait of Hormuz and crucial oil supplies from the Middle East, according to reports. India imports nearly 90% of its crude oil, and in the last few months had increased purchases from the Middle East to wean away from Russian crude oil. However, with its energy security priorities in mind, India has sought to buy Russian crude to avoid supply shortages as Middle East tensions show no sign of abating.In recent weeks, Indian refiners had trimmed their purchases of Russian crude amid concerns that continued imports could complicate ongoing trade negotiations with the Donald Trump administration. This shift had prompted Moscow to divert additional volumes toward Chinese buyers.

Middle East Crisis: India Turns To Russian Oil

According to a Bloomberg report, ship-tracking data indicates that two Russian crude shipments which were originally bound for East Asia have redirected their course to India. According to vessel monitoring data from Kpler and Vortexa, the two tankers together carry roughly 1.4 million barrels of Urals crude and are scheduled to unload at Indian ports this week. Earlier voyage signals had suggested that the cargoes were headed to destinations in East Asia.The crude grade involved is Urals crude, typically shipped from ports in the Baltic and Black Sea regions. This grade had earlier become a preferred feedstock for Indian refiners. However, shipments to India declined significantly this year amid pressure from the United States on New Delhi to scale back purchases.

One of the vessels, the Suezmax tanker Odune, carrying about 730,000 barrels, reached Paradip on India’s eastern coast on Wednesday, according to shipping data and reports from port agents. It remains unclear whether the cargo has been fully discharged. The second vessel, the Aframax tanker Matari, transporting more than 700,000 barrels, is expected to arrive at Vadinar on India’s western coast on Thursday.Also Read | US-Iran war sends shockwaves! Most crude via Strait of Hormuz heads to China, India – how vulnerable are they after closure?The escalating conflict in the Middle East and the effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz have heightened fears of supply disruptions. As a result, refiners in India now appear to be reconsidering Russian crude supplies to offset potential shortages.Additional diversions may occur. Ship-tracking information indicates that Indri, a Suezmax tanker currently in the Arabian Sea, has altered its route after initially signaling Singapore as its destination. The vessel, which is carrying about 730,000 barrels of Urals crude, made a sharp turn northward earlier this week and is now heading toward India.The three tankers involved in these movements – Odune, Matari, and Indri – were all placed under sanctions last year by the European Union and the United Kingdom Government.

Pakistan Cricket Team (AP Photo)

After a dismal T20 World Cup campaign, Pakistan cricket has been hit by a fresh controversy after an unnamed squad member was reportedly fined for allegedly misbehaving with a female hotel staff member during the team’s stay in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The incident is believed to have occurred shortly before Pakistan’s final Super Eight fixture against Sri Lanka and has since been quietly discussed within Pakistan cricket circles.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!According to a report by Telecom Asia Sport, the episode unfolded at the Golden Crown Hotel, where Pakistan’s squad was staying during the tournament. “Before Pakistan’s last Super Eight match against Sri Lanka, a Pakistan World Cup squad player misbehaved with a female housekeeping staff,” sources told Telecom Asia Sport. The report added that the staff member “shouted and called for help, after which hotel staff came for her rescue and reported the matter to Pakistan team manager Naveed Cheema.”

Senior officials at the Golden Crown Hotel reportedly wanted strong action taken against the player. However, Cheema apologised to the hotel management on behalf of the cricketer and imposed a fine for the misconduct, effectively settling the issue internally at the time. While the player’s identity has not been revealed, the matter is far from closed, with the individual expected to face further scrutiny once back home.The report suggests the player could be summoned before the disciplinary committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board, which may decide on additional punishment. The controversy surfaced soon after Pakistan’s disappointing campaign, where the side failed to reach the semifinals after missing out on net run-rate despite defeating Sri Lanka by five runs in their final Super Eight match.The incident has also revived discussion around past controversies involving Pakistan touring squads. The report noted that batter Haider Ali was arrested by Manchester Police last year during a Pakistan Shaheens tour of England over rape allegations before being released due to insufficient evidence. In another earlier episode, team masseur Malang Ali was reportedly fined for misconduct with a female staff member during a tour of Malaysia.

Israel launched pre-dawn strikes on Lebanon Thursday and said it was intercepting fresh missiles from Iran, as a war launched by the United States and Israel widened across the Middle East.The escalation comes as a US submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean and the US Senate voted down a War Powers resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s military action, ‘Operation Epic Fury’, against Iran.The conflict entered its sixth day after US and Israeli strikes on Saturday killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other key figures, triggering retaliation from Tehran across the region.More than 1,000 people have been killed in Iran, more than 70 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials. US and Israel said they targeted Iran’s leadership, missile arsenal and nuclear program, while suggesting that toppling the government is a goal. However, shifting statements on objectives and timelines have pointed to what could become an open-ended conflict.Follow US-Israel-Iran War Live Updates

Iran launched a fresh round of missiles at Israel early Thursday, triggering alerts in several areas including Tel Aviv, according to the Israeli military and Tehran’s state media. There were no immediate reports of casualties.Iran has been hitting sites across the region in retaliation after the United States and Israel launched strikes against it on Saturday. Iran also fired on Bahrain, Kuwait and Israel as the conflict spiraled.Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards claimed to have closed the Strait of Hormuz, and warned that “The Americans’ mischief and deceit could lead to the collapse of the entire military and economic infrastructure of the region.” IRGC claimed Wednesday “the Strait of Hormuz is under the complete control of the Islamic Republic’s Navy.”A ballistic missile launched from Iran and heading towards Turkish airspace via Iraq and Syria was destroyed by Nato air defense systems, Turkish officials said. The Saudi ministry of defense announced that it successfully intercepted and destroyed three cruise missiles outside the city of Al-Kharj.

An airstrike hit the Hezbollah stronghold of south Beirut early Thursday, after Israel had issued a warning to residents.Elsewhere, three people were killed in a pair of Israeli strikes on vehicles along Beirut’s airport highway, Lebanon’s health ministry said. Prior to these strikes, officials had said 72 people had been killed and more than 83,000 others displaced since the start of a new round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.Israel also traded fire with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.Israel said it also hit buildings associated with Iran’s Basij, the all-volunteer force of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard whose bloody crackdown on protesters in January left thousands dead.

US submarine sinks Iranian warship

A US submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, as Washington and Israel intensified their bombardment of Iran’s security forces and other symbols of power.US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a torpedo from an American submarine sank the vessel Tuesday night. Sri Lankan authorities said 32 people were rescued from the ship, while the country’s navy said it recovered 87 bodies.The tempo of the strikes on Iran was so intense that state television announced the mourning ceremony for Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the start of the conflict, would be postponed. Millions attended the funeral of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989.The US Senate voted down a War Powers resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s military action, ‘Operation Epic Fury’, against Iran, with the measure failing 47-53 on mostly party lines, Fox News reported.Only Senator Rand Paul voted in favour of the resolution, while Jon Fetterman was the lone Democrat to cross the aisle in support of a move that helped the GOP defeat the measure. Democrats argued that Trump’s actions were another instance of him disregarding Congress’ authority to use military force, that they lacked a clear strategy going forward and, further, that they were yet another campaign promise he had broken, Fox News reported.Polls showed that eight in 10 Republicans approve of the current US use of force, while nearly eight in 10 Democrats disapprove and six in 10 independents disapprove. Among voters who have served in the military, 59 per cent approve of the US strikes on Iran.President Donald Trump hailed the US performance in the war and said Iran’s leaders were rapidly being killed. “We’re doing well on the war front, to put it mildly. Somebody said on a scale of 10, where would you rate it? I said about a 15,”

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard issued its most-intense threat yet, saying the strikes against it would result in “the complete destruction of the region’s military and economic infrastructure.”Tanker traffic through the strait has fallen by around 90% compared to prewar levels, shipping tracker MarineTraffic.com said. Oil prices have soared and global stock markets have been hammered over worries that the spike in oil prices may grind down the world economy.A tanker anchored off the coast of Kuwait was hit by a “large explosion” on Thursday, causing an oil spill in the Persian Gulf. The British maritime security agency UKMTO said the incident took place in the Mubarak Al-Kabeer area. The vessel’s Master reported hearing a loud blast on the port side, after which a small craft was seen leaving the area. The tanker has taken on some water but there are no fires onboard, and all crew members are safe.

Iran’s leaders are scrambling to replace Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years. It’s only the second time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that a new supreme leader is being chosen.Potential candidates range from hard-liners committed to confrontation with the West to reformists who seek diplomatic engagement. Mojtaba Khamenei, Khamenei’s son, has long been considered among them — though he has never been elected or appointed to a government position.In a sign that Iran’s leadership will only seek to consolidate its power as it faces its biggest crisis in decades, the head of the judiciary warned that “those who cooperate with the enemy in any way will be considered an enemy.”Israel’s defense minister, Katz, said on X that Iran’s next supreme leader, if he continues to threaten Israel, the US and others, “will be a target for elimination.”

Diplomatic reactions and mediation efforts

Spain doubled down on its opposition to Washington’s use of its bases against Iran, after Trump’s threats of trade reprisals. The White House said Madrid had now agreed to cooperate, but Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares said its stance on “bases, on the war in the Middle East, on the bombardment of Iran, has not changed at all.”China will send a special envoy to mediate in the Middle East, foreign minister Wang Yi said. Beijing is a close partner of Iran and has said it backs Tehran in defending its sovereignty, while urging the United States and Israel to cease their attacks.

LONDON: An Indian-origin senior British diplomat has quit the UK foreign office, criticising it for being woke, stuffed with paper-pushers and underperformers and putting the “worship of international law” above national security.In a column in the UK Times titled ‘Foreign Office fails to put Britain first’, Ameer Kotecha wrote: “Our impotence on Iran and craven surrender over Chagos happen when the long-term national interest is sacrificed to unquestioning worship of international law, the demands of noisy activist groups, or the appeasing of sectarian voting blocs.”He called for a “more ruthless focus on what benefits the British people” and said the govt’s decision to hand over the Chagos islands and UK PM Keir Starmer’s slowness to act on Iran influenced his decision to quit.“Rather than a really clear-sighted, level-headed assessment of what’s in the national interest and what’s good for the UK, we’re instead having our entire foreign policy dictated by what the lawyers tell us international law requires. I’m ashamed to serve this govt, so I’ve decided to throw the towel in,” he told the UK Times.Kotecha, an Oxford graduate, stepped down from his post at the British embassy in Tel Aviv last month. He said: “If the civil service was once a Rolls-Royce, it is now a banged-up hatchback driven by someone with decidedly dicey vision and a passionate hatred of driving. Our country will not get back on track until the car and the driver are made roadworthy once more.”He said on the day Kabul fell to the Taliban, he was invited to attend an event to mark World Afro Day (to celebrate Afro hair) and this week, with war raging in the Middle East, the main news on the foreign office intranet was about “taking charge of your development”.“In discussions about how the foreign office could improve productivity with AI, some colleagues were more concerned with an environmental impact assessment,” he said, adding some colleagues worked from home as “they didn’t want to work in a colonial office building.”

Mohammad Kaif and Mohammad Amir (Agency Image)

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has delivered a sharp response to ex-Pakistan quick Mohammad Amir after the latter continued to cast doubts over India’s campaign in the ongoing T20 World Cup.Amir had initially predicted that India would stumble against the West Indies and miss out on a semifinal berth. When that forecast failed to materialise, he shifted his stance, backing England to halt India’s charge and claiming that Suryakumar Yadav’s team would not reach the final. He also referred to struggling opener Abhishek Sharma as a “slogger”, a remark that has drawn criticism from Indian supporters.Kaif, speaking on his YouTube channel, accused Amir of making inflammatory comments purely to generate publicity, insisting that India need not dignify such remarks with a response.“Did Amir really not know that India would reach the semifinals? He also knew it, that the defending champions will make it. But because it will become news, they do all these things. We must not give them importance. There is no need for us to come down to their level and reply,” he said.The former India cricketer then took aim at Amir by referencing Pakistan’s surprising defeat to the USA at the 2024 T20 World Cup. He questioned the pacer’s performance in the decisive Super Over, suggesting that Amir was in no position to criticise others.“The loss that they faced against the USA in 2024, it was the same bowler who was the reason. In that over, there was only one boundary, but too many wides. His ball did not even land on the stumps. Who got scared against that USA team and made his team lose the game, then I do not have to say more,” he remarked.Kaif continued by urging India to ignore the outside noise, arguing that engaging with Amir would only amplify his comments and hand him the attention he seeks.“Why are we focusing on him? The country that is so behind in the sport, they have no players, no solid captain, or a solid bowler, nothing. Just let them be. We don’t have to talk about everything they talk. They cannot come to our level. They have different problems. If we focus on their comments, it is like we are giving them importance, and that is what they want anyway,” he added.

India’s Abhishek Sharma drops the catch of West Indies’ Roston Chase (ANI Photo)

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel has flagged India’s slipping standards in the field as a major worry ahead of their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal against England at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.Despite an impressive run to the last four, India’s catching has been far from convincing. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the side has shelled 13 catches in the tournament so far, with their catching efficiency dipping to a competition-low 72.7 per cent. In contrast, Pakistan, long criticised for their work in the field, have managed a significantly better success rate of 83.3 per cent.“One concern I feel is the fielding and not just the way India fielded in the game at Eden Gardens. It has been happening for almost a year and a half. We are dropping quite a few catches. That is something India would definitely like to work on,” Patel told Jio Hotstar.India sealed their semifinal place with a gritty victory over the West Indies at the Eden Gardens, successfully overhauling a target above 190. Patel termed the result a huge boost for the side.“It was an outstanding win. It will be a great confidence booster for India going forward. India won the toss and decided to bowl first, thinking there would be a lot of dew. When the game finished, there was no dew at all, but the conditions did get slightly better. In a knockout game, chasing in excess of 190, someone needed to play an outstanding knock, and Sanju Samson did that,” Parthiv said.“The Captain took his hat off. He has scored a lot of hundreds in international cricket, but to me, this innings was right up there. Skill-wise, we all know that Sanju Samson is a very talented batter, but fighting those mental battles is very difficult. I thought Sanju Samson did that really well. He also spoke about how his experience came into the fold. I thought it was a very mature innings. He always looked in control. He did not try to hit the ball hard. He will remember this innings for a long time,” he added.Patel also singled out pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for special praise, highlighting his knack for breaking key partnerships.“Bumrah is not a banker. He is the bank. The way he comes out and bowls, when you want to take a wicket against an in-form Hetmyer, he comes in and takes his wicket, then gets a set Roston Chase. Obviously, India has looked up to Jasprit Bumrah most of the time, and he has never disappointed. That is what he does most often. You are playing in a format right now, in this era, where the only way you can stop a batter is by getting him out, and Jasprit Bumrah does that.”Looking ahead to the clash with England, Patel stressed the importance of early breakthroughs against a dangerous batting unit.“India obviously need to get England’s dangerous batters out as quickly as possible. You have Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, who is due for runs and likes the Wankhede Stadium. Then you have Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook. So, they have a good, solid line-up. It is a good all-round team. Obviously, against England, India will have to be at the top of their game,” he concluded.

MUMBAI: The government’s decision to hold back cuts in retail petrol and diesel prices despite the earlier fall in global crude has given oil marketing companies (OMCs) room to cushion the impact of fresh spikes. According to a report by Nomura, this buffer means that a 10% rise in crude oil prices is likely to translate into only a 10 basis point increase in inflation and a similar impact on GDP growth.Theoretically, a 10% jump in global crude prices should add around 50 basis points to inflation if fully passed on to consumers – higher than the 30 basis points seen earlier. However, a full pass-through appears unlikely as OMCs are expected to absorb part of the increase through their margins. Since the US/Israel attacks on Iran, Brent crude has risen 16.8% while WTI crude has risen 14%.Beyond prices, a rising oil import bill poses risks to India’s macro stability. Typically, a 10% rise in crude widens the current account deficit by about 0.4% of GDP. Even so, the current account remains relatively well balanced and low by historical standards.

The bigger vulnerability lies in the capital account. A sharp fall in foreign investment flows amid global risk aversion has led to a sizeable balance of payments deficit. A combination of a wider current account gap and sustained foreign portfolio outflows could intensify pressure on the Indian rupee. As a twin-deficit economy, India’s equity markets are among the most vulnerable in Asia to prolonged supply disruptions. In the rates market, India and Korea are seen as the most negatively impacted.The Nomura report underlined that India’s heavy dependence on imported energy leaves it exposed to geopolitical shocks in the Middle East. The country imports over 85% of its oil needs, with nearly half of its crude shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz. In FY25, Persian Gulf nations – including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait – accounted for nearly 46% of India’s crude imports. On inflation, the report drew a distinction between theoretical sensitivity and practical pricing realities. “The RBI estimates that a 10% increase in global crude oil prices leads to around 15 basis points drop in GDP growth and 30 basis points increase in inflation, but this is based on the old inflation series, while the new one has doubled the combined weightings of petrol and diesel (to 4.8% from 2.3%), which should also raise the sensitivity of CPI inflation to oil price changes, if fully passed,” it said. However, such a pass-through is rarely immediate. “Retail prices of petrol and diesel are unofficially pegged, with OMCs absorbing the impact through their balance sheets,” the report noted.

NEW DELHI/PATNA: Less than four months after Nitish Kumar, along with PM Modi, led NDA to a landslide win in the Bihar assembly elections in Nov and took oath as chief minister for a record 10th time, ‘sushashan babu’, who turned 75 recently, is set to move to the Rajya Sabha – paving the way for BJP to have its own CM in the state for the first time, and extending its jurisdictional imprint across almost all of north and central India. His son Nishant is set to enter politics by joining the government; while speculation abounds that he might be named deputy CM, there is as yet little clarity on his position or portfolio.People in the know said Nitish will file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha in Patna Thursday in the presence of key NDA members, including Union home minister Amit Shah. Four other NDA nominees, including BJP president Nitin Nabin and Union minister Ram Nath Thakur, and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party leader Upendr Kushwaha will also be filing their nominations.

BJP has played second fiddle to Nitish since joining hands with him for the first time in 1996. It chose to allow him to claim the top post despite having more MLAs than JD(U) in 2020 and 2025 in view of his seniority.Amid concerns over his health, it was always a question of when and not if Nitish would step down, and while the transition has come earlier than generally expected, the timing was considered within NDA as appropriate as it will give the new team time to settle in. Nishant’s entry is aimed at enthusing JD(U)’s rank-and-file amid these uncertain times, and at retaining its base among critical sections of backwards and Dalits.Those clued into the recent developments said the JD(U) brass has acquiesced to its junior status in govt as acknowledgement about a likely change of guard had been growing in the party, indication of which was apparent when for the first time Nitish ceded the home portfolio to one of his two BJP deputies, Samrat Choudhary.However, they added that Nitish will not be replaced immediately as his RS tenure will kick in when he takes oath after April 9, the date of retirement of the outgoing members.Samrat, who hails from Kushwaha caste, the second largest OBC community after Yadavs, is seen as an obvious front-runner following his rapid ascent in BJP. He was its state unit president before being picked by the party brass as one of its two Dy CMs along with Vijay Kumar Sinha. He is considered a notch above his peer, which was evident in BJP’s decision to give him charge of home. His social profile coupled with political acumen are also helpful.Another contender is Nityanand Rai, one of Shah’s deputies in the Union home ministry, a seasoned organisational man unlike Chaudhary, who cycled through various parties before joining BJP.BJP to head governments in entire Hindi belt except Jharkhand, Himachal PradeshA Yadav, Rai’s elevation would give BJP an opportunity to make a fresh outreach to the influential caste which has been loyal to Lalu Yadav’s RJD. With Bihar set to join the states with its CM, BJP will now be heading govts in the entire Hindi-speaking belt except Himachal Pradesh.Nitish has been at the helm since 2005 except for a brief period after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls when he passed the baton to Jitan Ram Manjhi after his party’s poor show.In the meantime, he switched alliances and embraced RJD twice only to go back to BJP but ensuring that he remained the swing factor in the state’s fractured politics despite his party’s decline in the recent years. As talk of Nitish going to RS started doing the rounds, is party said in a post, “Nitish Kumar Ji is the most accepted leader of Bihar. His popularity is clearly evident today in every sector. It is this affection and immense support from the people that is his true identity.”Sources said a section of party is strongly opposed to Nitish shifting to national politics. “If Nitish goes to Delhi, this will convey a message that he was removed as Bihar CM. And, if BJP appoints its own CM, message will only be confirmed,” a JD(U) member said.

A diplomatic row has emerged between the United States and Spain after the White House claimed Madrid had agreed to cooperate with American military operations against Iran, a statement swiftly rejected by Spain’s foreign minister.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Spain had agreed to assist the US military effort, without giving details about the nature of that cooperation.“It’s my understanding, over the past several hours, they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military,” Leavitt told reporters.However, Spain’s foreign minister José Manuel Albares strongly denied the claim, saying Madrid had not altered its position on the conflict or on the use of Spanish bases for US military operations.“I categorically deny any change… our position on the use of the bases, on the war in the Middle East, on the bombardment of Iran, has not changed at all,” Albares told Cadena SER radio.

Spain had earlier refused US base access

The conflicting statements come days after Spain publicly refused to allow the United States to use jointly operated military bases on its territory for strikes against Iran.The Spanish government declined permission for US forces to operate from the naval base at Rota and the air base at Morón, both of which are jointly run under long-standing defence agreements between Madrid and Washington.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticised the US-Israel campaign against Iran, describing it as “unilateral military action” and warning it risked creating “a more hostile and uncertain international order”.Foreign minister Albares had also stated earlier that Spain would not authorise any activities beyond existing bilateral agreements or outside international law.“The bases are not being used – nor will they be used – for anything that is not in the agreement, nor for anything that isn’t covered by the UN charter,” he said.

Trump criticises Spain’s stance

The disagreement has also drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump, who openly criticised Spain’s refusal to support the military campaign.“Some of the European nations have been helpful, and some haven’t–and I’m very surprised. Germany’s been great… Spain has been terrible. In fact, I told Scott to cut off all dealings with Spain,” Trump said.He added, “By the way, I’m not happy with the UK either.”Trump has defended the US strikes on Iran, arguing that Washington acted to prevent a potential Iranian attack and stop Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.“No, Based on the way the negotiation was going, I think [Iran] was going to attack first, and I didn’t want that to happen, so if anything, I might’ve forced Israel’s hand,” he said.

Iran thanks Spain for stance

Spain’s opposition to the campaign has drawn praise from Tehran, which thanked Madrid for what it described as responsible conduct.Iranian officials said Spain’s refusal to allow its bases to be used for attacks demonstrated a commitment to international law and restraint as the conflict widened across the Middle East.The diplomatic dispute comes as the US-Israel military campaign against Iran intensifies.Washington and Tel Aviv launched coordinated strikes on Iranian military facilities, missile sites and naval assets, while Tehran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting US allies and bases across the Gulf region.Oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and shipping routes near the Strait of Hormuz have also come under threat, pushing global energy prices higher and disrupting international travel.Trump has indicated the campaign could continue for several weeks, saying US forces aim to dismantle Iran’s missile capabilities, cripple its navy and prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

New Zealand opener Finn Allen created history in Kolkata by smashing the fastest century ever in a T20 World Cup on Wednesday, powering New Zealand into the final with a crushing nine-wicket win over South Africa.Chasing 170 in the first semi-final, Allen went on a rampage, scoring an unbeaten 100 off just 33 balls.

His knock broke the previous World Cup record of 47 balls set by Chris Gayle. New Zealand chased down the target in just 12.5 overs, finishing the match with 7.1 overs to spare.After the game, Allen said: “Yeah I would say it’s up there. Wanted to get into good positions and hit the ball. Wanted to put them on the back foot early. The way Seifert batted and got us to a flier helped me as well. We wanted to hit straight and enjoyed it together. “You adapt to the wicket, training is important. The boys played a lot on the blacksoil pitches against India before the World Cup so that was good intel. We look forward to the final on Sunday.”Allen’s 33-ball hundred is now the fastest in T20 World Cups, the fastest against a full-member team in T20 internationals, and joint third-fastest in all T20Is.Earlier, South Africa posted 169/8 in 20 overs, with Marco Jansen top-scoring with 55. But their total proved nowhere near enough. Tim Seifert gave New Zealand a flying start with 58 off 33 balls, setting the stage for Allen’s record-breaking blitz.With this dominant performance, New Zealand stormed into the final in style.