Blackcaps hero Tim Seifert knows he's given World Cup selectors plenty to think about after his Man-of-the-Match performance against India in the opening T20 match of their series in Wellington on Wednesday.
The wicketkeeper-batsman blasted 84 runs off 43 balls to help New Zealand win the match by 80 runs, India's worst defeat by runs, surpassing a 49-run loss to Australia at the 2010 World T20.
Seifert opened the batting alongside Colin Munro after Martin Guptill was ruled out of the three-match series with a back injury.
The 24-year-old's knock helped the Blackcaps reach 219/6 from their 20 overs, before New Zealand's bowlers ripped through India's batting line-up to dismiss their opponents for 139 in 19.2 overs.
Seifert couldn't have picked a better time to put on a show, as the Blackcaps coaches continue to explore their wicketkeeping options for the World Cup later this year in England.
With each team allowed a squad of only 15 players at the World Cup, taking two keepers can sometimes be a luxury.
Last month, New Zealand coach Gary Stead suggested that Henry Nicholls, who has rarely kept wicket in recent years, could play that role behind first-choice specialist Tom Latham.
But if Seifert continues to impress, then Stead might have to reconsider his options.
Even though playing at a World Cup would be a dream for Seifert, he insists he isn't worrying too much about the showpiece event that starts in May.
"I just go out, do what I do and hey, if that gets me over the line, brilliant," he said. "But still being young, you know, [I've] still got time on my side.
"Don't get me wrong, I want to be at this World Cup. If I get there, fantastic, it's a dream come true, but if it's not, then there are things to work on to get to the next one.
"Everyone's got things to work on and for me, it's about improving my keeping. I feel like I'm gloving the ball fairly well and as a keeper, getting those one-handed catches are the ones you want to take."
Before going to the crease, Seifert said he watched highlights of former Blackcaps captain Brendon McCullum on YouTube to help inspire him.
The videos did wonders, as he hit six sixes and seven fours in his audacious knock.
"I'd be lying if I said Baz [Brendon McCullum] wasn't one of my heroes growing up.
"Obviously, you try to be yourself out there, but I definitely have looked at Baz throughout my childhood."
Seifert showed shades of McCullum in his innings, which included hitting a switch-hit boundary off Krunal Pandya's left-arm leg-spin.
"I kind of just looked at the field and it's all in the moment.
"I don't really practice it or anything, it's just kind of in the spirit of it. I just thought of his angle and obviously got him slog-sweeping a couple of times, so I thought he maybe might slow it up.
"It's kind of a little punt you take, but it's T20 cricket for you."
Both teams now head to Auckland for the second T20 encounter on Friday.
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