Finn Allen kicks aside Jasprit Bumrah threat, promises brutal assault in T20 World Cup final

New Zealand opening batter Finn Allen has cleared his mind of the Jasprit Bumrah threat ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup final. The centurion from the last game has shown belief in his abilities and has refused to be intimidated by the veteran pacer or the thousands of Indian fans backing him from the crowd.

Not many had anticipated that India would clash against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup semi-final, but Finn Allen and Tim Seifert, the two Kiwi openers, made it look like a cakewalk. Allen scored an unbeaten century in the semi-finals against South Africa with a strike rate of 303.03.

It is worth mentioning that Finn Allen came on to the World Cup after a good season in the BBL, and with the way he is liking it on the subcontinent tracks, he will come in very handy for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming edition of the IPL.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Finn Allen plans to keep it simple to neutralize the Bumrah threat

As New Zealand prepares to clash with the defending champions, they will be under some pressure, especially after their history in the knockouts of ICC events. However, the pressure does not seem to reflect through their opening batter Finn Allen's words.

The New Zealand opener was questioned about his stance on facing Jasprit Bumrah in the ICC T20 World Cup final, as to whether he has a proper plan or if he would leave it to his instincts.

The cricketer answered, "No, we've just said our very relaxed scouting meeting before. We're going into Ronk's room and having a chat. Me and Timmy (Tim Seifert) make a coffee, and it's all very relaxed. We just have a conversation about what they do.

"I don't watch any footage unless I haven't seen the guy before, but you see Bumrah everywhere, so yeah, to be honest, keep it relaxed. I'm a big fan of playing the ball, not the man. I think if you get too focused on Jasprit Bumrah running into you, then you are caught up in an occasion where 130k Indian fans would be supporting them."

Allen clearly did not look intimidated by the presence of the veteran Indian pacer and showed some great belief in his partnership with Tim Seifert, which has worked wonders for New Zealand in this T20 World Cup.

"You've got to play the ball, and having Timmy out there, hopefully for a lot of that, will be extremely encouraging as well, very comfortable. It's one of those things where you get up for the occasion, and hopefully it goes well," he concluded.

🚨FINN ALLEN ON PLAYING AGAINST BUMRAH.🚨

Q 🎙️How do you prepare to Face Bumrah?

🎙️We keep it relaxed just a quick chat with the coaches over coffee. I believe in playing the ball, not the man. If you focus too much on him or the crowd, you get caughtpic.twitter.com/vqVq5M3BcL

— Sam (@Cricsam01) March 8, 2026

Finn Allen vs Jasprit Bumrah: Who has the upper hand?

Going into the big game on the big stage and with lots of burden of expectations on his shoulders, Jasprit Bumrah might be the one intimidated by the presence of some strong-hitting batters in the New Zealand side.

Considering Finn Allen's form in the ICC T20 World Cup, where he has amassed 289 runs across 8 appearances in this edition of the tournament in 2026, there is every reason for him to have the upper hand over the Indian star.

Jasprit Bumrah, on the other hand, was taken for 58 runs in his 4 overs by New Zealand batters the last time they met in a T20I. Allen himself started the onslaught on the premier bowler and scored an 80 in the game. Also, Bumrah's form in this World Cup has not been consistent.

However, this does not make Bumrah any less of a threat to New Zealand, considering his abilities and his knack for stepping up for the team on big occasions. However, in a pre-match battle, Allen surely owns it all.

Match-ups will be key for India in the ICC T20 World Cup final

Not only is Finn Allen clashing against Jasprit Bumrah, but several other crucial matchups between players from either team will be crucial for India to defend their title. Tim Siefert against Arshdeep Singh will be an interesting battle.

Glenn Phillips will be up against Axar Patel, and from the batting department, New Zealand pacers will form a great matchup with Sanju Samson in the powerplay and then against Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma at the death.

However, spinners would once again have a role to play, with one side of the Narendra Modi Stadium being huge in dimensions. Rachin Ravindra will be a great matchup against Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan, as they both struggle when pace is taken off the ball.

ALSO READ: Not Gautam Gambhir! Suryakumar Yadav following this legend’s orders in T20 World Cup 2026