The Black Caps go into a triangular series in Dambulla with hosts Sri Lanka and India on Wednesday, their first one-day cricket tournament in five months.
It's a chance to blood the newcomers like BJ Watling and Kane Williamson in conditions alien to those here, with the New Zealanders missing proven matchwinners like skipper Dan Vettori, Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder.
They're definitely the underdogs and clash with India in the opening day-night match, who have won two bilateral series, a tri-series and the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka over the past two years.
And Mahendra Singh Dhoni's India are keen to extend their impressive run in the one-day game in Sri Lanka.
But it's a very young Indian team, missing Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan -11 members of the squad are 25 years or younger.
Each side will play the other twice in the preliminary league before the top two qualify for the final on August 28.
India are also fresh from a morale-boosting victory over the hosts in the final Test in Colombo last week, helping them square a three-match series 1-1.
The Indians have rested record-breaking batsman Sachin Tendulkar, key spinner Harbhajan Singh and opener Gautam Gambhir for the one-day tournament, but have enough depth in batting and bowling to test their rivals.
