Black Caps coach Gary Stead says their aim is to make the semi-finals at this month's T20 World Cup in the UAE, but concedes there are probably eight teams capable of winning.
Stead and Williamson Photo: Photosport Ltd
Stead and his staff have just arrived in the UAE and will spend six days in isolation before getting together with members of the squad.
There are ten New Zealanders involved in the Indian Premier League, which is currently being played in the region, while there are also members there from the abandoned tour of Pakistan.
After winning the World Test Championship earlier this year, New Zealand is in the position of being add to add a second global title in the same year.
"Every tournament you go into, you go in with high hopes," said Stead
"The main goal is to get to the semi-final stage and if you get there you know that you're only two wins away from a title."
New Zealand is in the same group as previous winners India and Pakistan along with Afghanistan and two qualifiers from round one of the competition.
"We're in a tough pool, I genuinely think there are six, seven, eight teams that could win this tournament and that's good for world cricket."
Stead says teams that have had the most players competing in the IPL will probably have some advantage heading into the World Cup.
"We have ten guys in the IPL, with only three or four who are playing regularly, but hopefully the training that they get certainly opens their eyes up to what the conditions are likely to be."
Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson is the only player with any injury concern, he had a minor niggle in his hamstring but returned to training this week.
Stead says the players who arrived early from Pakistan have trained well.
"There's a very good training facility just five minutes from the hotel and they've been training with Tilan Samaraweera, who went to Bangladesh and Pakistan so it's been awesome that he's been able to stay and train with them so yes they're all ready to go."
Dubai International Stadium Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Stead has watched most of the IPL and he'll also be using his six days in isolation wisely.
"There's plenty of scouting to do on the teams and we'll be keeping a close eye on the upcoming qualifying tournament as well because there will be a couple of teams in there that we'll have to play against."
Stead says the IPL has given them some insight into how the World Cup is likely to play out.
New Zealand will play there group games in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
"It looks like there are three quite different surfaces and even as the tournament progresses there seems to be a bit of a rogue score."
"There was a high scoring game at Abu Dhabi where 190 got chased down but the norm has been more in that 120-150 mark."
"With the three grounds they'll provide different options and opportunities that we need to consider as well and we'll certainly be calling on the expertise and the knowledge of those guys that have been playing in the IPL of what they can add to our intel as well," Stead said.
The Black Caps first game is against Pakistan in Sharjah on October 26th with the recent cancellation of their tour likely to add some extra spice to that game.
Oct 26, New Zealand vs Pakistan, Sharjah.
Oct 31, New Zealand vs India, Dubai.
Nov 3, New Zealand vs qualifier, Dubai.
Nov 5, New Zealand vs qualifier, Sharjah.
Nov 7, New Zealand vs Afghanistan, Abu Dhabi.
Nov 10 and 11, semi-finals
Nov 14, final
BLACKCAPS squad for ICC T20 World Cup and India T20s
Kane Williamson (c)
Todd Astle
Trent Boult
Mark Chapman
Devon Conway
Lockie Ferguson
Martin Guptill
Kyle Jamieson
Daryl Mitchell
Jimmy Neesham
Glenn Phillips
Mitchell Santner
Tim Seifert (wk)
Ish Sodhi
Tim Southee
*Adam Milne (injury cover)
