There’s a quiet confidence in the BLACKCAPS' ranks as they prepare to open the ICC World Twenty20 tournament against hosts India in front of 45,000 fans in Nagpur tomorrow morning (3am NZT).
Rather than be daunted by one of the toughest tests in modern cricket, allrounder Grant Elliott says the team will revel in the big occasion.
"The guys are pretty excited to play India — it’s a great opportunity for us to turn over the best team in the world at home first up,” he said.
“We’ve obviously got some guys who experienced the 2015 Cricket World Cup and the crowd is something that you look at and, if anything, it just pumps you up for the game, it doesn’t take away from the moment or add any anxiety.”
The number one ranked Indians have won 10 of their last 11 T20 games and are the firm favourites for the title.
Elliott hoped the BLACKCAPS could prey on the weight of expectation levelled on their opposition.
“If we can get a couple of early wickets with these guys and with the pressure of them being the home town team and a lot of pressure on them actually going on to win it — I think we can win this game.
"The confidence levels are really high, guys are in good form and yeah — anything’s possible,” he added.
Captain Kane Williamson labelled his charges a "dangerous side" at his pre-game press conference, but wasn’t paying too much attention to the quirky statistic of the BLACKCAPS never havingg lost a Twenty20 to India (4-0).
"Every game of cricket is different. It is pretty much a clean slate, it is the start of a tournament and it's important for us to be focussed on our plans, and to execute them as best as we can. We certainly know that India are a very strong side in this competition and we have to be at our best,” he told a packed press room on game eve.
Unlike the relatively zippy wicket in Mumbai, the Nagpur pitch is expected to be slow and offer turn — something of which Williamson was well aware.
"We certainly are expecting spin to pay a big part in this tournament. I suppose judging by the warm-up games in Mumbai, they had a bit for the seamers and it swung a little bit. They were very good surfaces, but from what cricket we have seen here in Nagpur, spin looks likely to play a big part. It's important that we adjust our game plans accordingly,”
Williamson has three front-line spinning options, who could all play, in veteran Nathan McCullum, legspinner Ish Sodhi and young allrounder Mitchell Santner.
Whichever XI the BLACKCAPS decide on, the captain said the result would be entertaining.
"It will be an exciting tournament and it will be good to watch. The boys are raring to go and to play some exciting cricket.”
BLACKCAPS v India will be live on SKY SPORT at 3am NZT and you can follow all the action online via our website livescoring and on Twitter @BLACKCAPS.
