Despite never opening the batting in professional Twenty20 cricket, Blackcap Daryl Mitchell has taken to his new assignment like a duck to water at the World Cup in the UAE.
After spending his career as a middle-order player, Mitchell was a surprise choice by NZ Gary Stead to partner Martin Guptill at the top of the order for this year's tournament.
But Mitchell's returns in his so-far short opening career have shown that the decision was the right one.
In his first stint as opener - against Pakistan at Sharjah - Mitchell joint topscored with 27 in the Blackcaps first-up loss, before adding 49 in New Zealand's victorious run chase against India on Monday.
Despite the initial surprise of being thrust up to the top of the order, Mitchell is taking it all in his stride.
"I was talking to my wife the other day and saying 'who'd have thought this would be happening?'
"It's something you always prepare for and something that I pride myself on is the ability to be able to adapt to different situations - whether it be opening or batting wherever in the order.
"For me, it's just about trying to win games of cricket for my country, and doing whatever I can to help us do that."
As a seam-bowling all-rounder, Mitchell has had to compete with Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme for a spot in the Blackcaps XI, since his debut at the start of 2019.
But with Neesham settled into his middle-order role and de Grandhomme not selected for this World Cup campaign, opening has given Mitchell the break he needs to play regularly for the Blackcaps.
When asked by Stead, Mitchell didn't hesitate to challenge himself with facing the new ball against some of the world's best bowlers.
"You're always having conversations about different opportunities and different roles that they said I'm going to have to play throughout the tournament.
"It wasn't really until those warm-up games, where there was a real clear plan in place that this could be a real option.
"There's constantly discussions going on. For me, I want to play as much as I can for New Zealand and be able to represent the Blackcaps.
"I jumped at the chance to be able to do this. [I'm] more than happy to try and help us win games of cricket."
Mitchell and the Blackcaps' next assignment comes in the shape of Scotland, needing to win if they're to emerge from Group Two into the World Cup semi-finals.
Scotland have already stunned test nation Bangladesh at this World Cup and will no doubt target another scalp in the shape of the Blackcaps at Dubai.
During his stint for Middlesex over the English summer, Mitchell has come up against several of Scotland's players and is aware that Wednesday's clash may not be as straightforward as it appears, especially in the tricky conditions of the UAE.
"Obviously, they've had a great qualifying tournament and it's awesome to see them here in the group stages," Mitchell adds. "They're a very dangerous team, so they understand the nuances of T20 cricket, especially with the Blast over there.
"They're obviously going to be a challenge in the next one. I know we're already starting our preparation to be ready to go in a couple of days time to be able to take them on.
"The World Cup's a funny old game, especially in the conditions over here, with the pitches. It brings everyone closer, so we're going to have to be ready from ball one."
The Blackcaps have met Scotland once before in a T20 World Cup, winning by seven wickets in a rain-affected affair at The Oval in London in 2009.
Join Newshub for live updates of the Blackcaps v Scotland T20 World Cup clash from 11pm Wednesday.
