Two years ago, former NZ wicketkeeper Ian Smith was a nervous wreck in the Lord's commentary box, as he watched his beloved national team deprived of a World Cup in the cruellest possible circumstances.
On Monday morning, 'Smithy' will be thousands of kilometres away from the action, but no less anxious, as the Blackcaps take on archrivals Australia for the Twenty20 world crown at Dubai.
While his heart tells him New Zealand will take the contest to the trans-Tasman foe, his head is still shaking over the "unnecessary" injury that has put batting star Devon Conway out of the short-form final.
"He's sort of a safety valve for me," Smith tells Newshub from his Hawke's Bay home. "We saw it the other night, in that semi-final, when we were battling.
"We praised Jimmy Neesham and Daryl Mitchell for getting use home - and they were magnificent - but without the platform that Conway set, after we lost Guptill and Williamson early... that was one of the innings of the tournament for us. He gave us that opportunity and we're going to miss that.
"There's been a change and an unnecessary change, because the Conway injury, for me, was so unnecessary - it really did hurt us."
South African-born Conway has transformed the Blackcaps, since finalising his switch of allegiance last summer, but lost his cool in the semi-final against England, when he punched his bat and broke his hand, after being stumped off Liam Livingstone's bowling.
Wicketkeeper Tim Seifert is likely to replace him for the final, but Smith is looking for captain Kane Williamson to step up, after a quiet tournament by his own high standards.
"And he will," Smith insists. "He's a really cool player and cool in these situations - that's why I back us.
"I back us, because our leadership will be good. I know he won't get overawed by the situation, he's taken out teams to big matches in the past and he's come through at the end."
Smith sees the final being decided by the Blackcaps' ability to overcome a vaunted Australian new-ball attack of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
"If we can do that, we can win this game. Contrary to that, can they handle Boult, Southee and Milne?
"Whoever handles the new-ball attack, wins this."
In 2019, New Zealand contested the World Cup one-day final against England, finishing tied after 50 overs each and a 'Super Over', but losing out on a boundary countback.
Earlier this year, they made amends, toppling India in the inaugural final of the World Test Championship at Southampton, and now contest their third world final in two years - undoubtedly the best all-round cricketing nation in the world.
Smith, 64, will watch this one from the relative safety of his home, but no less anxious.
"I back us to a certain degree, but I'll be honest, not as much as if Conway was in the unit.
"If we get up, bearing in mind I have a radio show at 9am, I might just have something special before it."
Join us at 3am Monday for live updates of the Blackcaps v Australia T20 World Cup final
