New Zealand opener Finn Allen has made his mind clear about the threat of Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup final. The century-killer in the last game has shown confidence in his abilities and refused to be intimidated by the experienced fast bowler or the thousands of Indian fans supporting him in the crowd.
Not many people would have predicted that India would face New Zealand in the T20 World Cup semi-finals, but the two Kiwi openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert made it look easy. Allen scored an unbeaten century against South Africa in the semi-finals at a strike rate of 303.03.
It is worth noting that Finn Allen came to the World Cup after a good season in the BBL and seeing the way he likes the pitches of the subcontinent, he will be very useful for Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming edition of IPL.
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Finn Allen plans to keep it simple to neutralize Bumrah’s threat
As New Zealand prepare to face the defending champions, they will be under some pressure, especially after their history in the knockouts of ICC competitions. However, the pressure is not reflected in the words of their opening batsman Finn Allen.
The New Zealand opener was asked about his approach when facing Jasprit Bumrah in the ICC T20 World Cup final, whether he has a proper plan or whether he will leave it to his instincts.
The cricketer replied, “No, we’ve already told about our very relaxed scouting meetings. We’re going to Ronk’s room and chatting. Me and Timmy (Tim Seifert) make coffee, and it’s all very relaxed. We just chat about what they do.
“I don’t watch any footage unless I’ve seen the guy first, but you see Bumrah everywhere, so to be honest, keep it quiet. I’m a big fan of the ball being played, not the guy. I think if you focus too much on Jasprit Bumrah running in front of you, you’re stuck in an opportunity where 130 thousand Indian fans will be supporting him.”
Allen clearly did not look intimidated by the presence of the experienced Indian fast bowler and showed some huge confidence in his partnership with Tim Seifert, which has worked wonders for New Zealand in this T20 World Cup.
“You’ve got to play ball, and hopefully having Timmy there for a lot of it will be extremely exciting and very comforting. It’s one of those things where you get ready for the opportunity, and hopefully it goes well,” he concluded.
🚨Finn Allen on playing against Bumrah.🚨
Question 🎙️How do you prepare to face Bumrah?
🎙️We keep it casual with quick chats with instructors over coffee. I believe in playing the ball, not the man. If you focus too much on him or on the crowd, you get caught.pic.twitter.com/vqVq5M3BcL
– Sam (@Cricsam01) 8 March 2026
Finn Allen vs Jasprit Bumrah: Who has the upper hand?
Going into the big game on the big stage and carrying a lot of expectations on his shoulders, Jasprit Bumrah might be intimidated by the presence of some strong hitting batsmen in the New Zealand team.
Looking at Finn Allen’s form in the ICC T20 World Cup, where he has scored 289 runs in 8 matches in this edition of the tournament in 2026, there is every reason for him to have the upper hand over the Indian star.
On the other hand, the last time they met in a T20 match, New Zealand’s batsmen had given away 58 runs in 4 overs to Jasprit Bumrah. Allen himself started the attack with the leading bowler and scored 80 runs in the game. Also, Bumrah’s form has not been consistently good in this World Cup.
However, considering his abilities and his ability to step up for the team on big occasions, this does not make Bumrah any less of a threat for New Zealand. However, in the pre-match battle, Allen definitely owns everything.
Match-ups will be important for India in the ICC T20 World Cup final
Not only is Finn Allen facing off against Jasprit Bumrah, but many other important encounters between players from both the teams will also be crucial for India to defend their title. Tim Seifert against Arshdeep Singh will be an interesting fight.
Glenn Phillips will be up against Axar Patel, and in the batting department, the New Zealand pacer will put up a great fight with Sanju Samson in the powerplay and then against Hardik Pandya and Tilak Verma in the death overs.
However, the spinners will once again have a role to play, with the Narendra Modi Stadium being a very big side. Rachin Ravindra will be a great match against Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan as both of them struggle when the pace of the ball decreases.
Also read: Gautam Gambhir is not serious! Suryakumar Yadav is following the orders of this legend in T20 World Cup 2026.
