Blackcaps rookie Finn Allen will continue to bat without fear, having shown a glimpse of his raw potential on the international stage in New Zealand's 3-0 T20 series sweep over Bangladesh.
The 21-year-old announced himself to international cricket on what could have fizzled out into a damp squib at Eden Park, plundering 71 runs from only 29 balls - his first half-century in a New Zealand shirt.
In only his third appearance for the Blackcaps, Allen's Eden Park fireworks earned him his maiden man-of-the-match award.
But it was just as much the "how" as it was the "how many" in Allen's latest knock, belying his inexperience to strike 10 boundaries and three sixes, leaving Bangladesh with no answers, as the tourists crashed to a 65-run defeat to leave New Zealand winless yet again.
To rub salt in Bangladesh's wounds, Allen got off the mark for the second time in succession with a reverse-sweep. Those two displays of aggression could have been seen as rash considering Allen's first taste of international cricket, where he was bowled for a golden duck in Hamilton last week.
"From the beginning, I sort of felt like I was in the zone, and I was just sort of focused on my partner and the bowler," Allen says.
"It was just about being fearless, continuing to be like that from the Super Smash.
"The fear of not getting out and wanting to take it to the opposition. I felt like it's a shot that I worked on a lot against left-arm spin this summer.
"I thought that it is a shot I play a lot so why not pull it out [against Nasum Ahmed]? It doesn't matter the situation."
Allen also credits the role of his senior teammates around him, encouraging him to carry on playing the way that he has done all summer - where he'd scored a tournament leading 512 runs at a strike rate of 193.93 in this season's domestic Super Smash.
"Talking to [Martin] Guptill at the other end, he said back yourself and back your skills. I went for it.
"I just felt it was a good option. The whole field was up and I knew roughly what he was trying to bowl. I felt like it was a good match-up for me. I was lucky that it came off. We just went from there.
"I think I spent two or three days batting left-handed against the spinners in the nets. Luckily it came off and just kept going from there.
"With all the games I play, I want to have the same brand. I want to approach it in the same aggressive way. But I think this series has made me realise I need to have more options.
"Get in similar positions and look to be dominant, but have more than one option for a particular delivery."
Allen now faces the task of holding onto his international spot, only given the chance with several more senior players having departed for the Indian Premier League - which Allen will also do on Friday.
But overall, the youngster knows that he's better for his short time in the New Zealand environment.
"I definitely didn't think it would be so easy to integrate into an international side. I think it just shows how good the group is.
"The coaching staff made it easy for me to fit in and feel comfortable. It helped my confidence to go out there and play the way I did. It is a similar way Wellington brought me in here."
