The performances of the Blackcaps' young guns at this year's Twenty20 World Cup in Australia give New Zealand cricket faithful plenty of reason to be optimistic for the future, veteran Tim Southee says.
Over the better part of the last decade, the Blackcaps have enjoyed unprecedented success for a New Zealand men's cricket side.
The Blackcaps have been ranked No.1 in all three forms of the game, reached three World Cup finals across ODI and T20 cricket, and won the World Test Championship in 2021 as a crowning achievement.
But the past 12 months have shown those good times won't last forever.
Ross Taylor, BJ Watling and Colin de Grandhomme have all retired from internationals, while Trent Boult's participation going forward is uncertain after he turned down a central contract with New Zealand Cricket.
Like the West Indies' side of the 1980s, and Australian side of the 2000s, a drop in fortunes is inevitable for New Zealand, but the emergence of younger players coming through might in fact delay that for the Blackcaps.
At this World Cup, 25-year-old Glenn Phillips and 23-year-old Finn Allen have been two bright lights for the Blackcaps, on New Zealand's run to the tournament semi-finals.
Phillips has scored 195 runs at an average of just shy of 50, including a high score of 104 against Sri Lanka.
Allen meanwhile has scored 91 runs, but his belligerent strike rate saw the Blackcaps begin the tournament on a high, with a blistering innings of 42 off 16 balls against the reigning champions Australia first up.
And for Southee, the pair's efforts show in spite of the changing face of the game, New Zealand's talent line won't be slowed any time soon.
"Glenn's been phenomenal," Southee said. "Not only in this tournament, but his contributions for a long time now have been pretty impressive.
"The style he plays, he's got plenty of energy, he's an exciting player to watch. It's great to see these younger guys in their mid-twenties showing what they can do.
"I guess it is a good sign for New Zealand cricket to have those younger guys coming through and doing well.
"[Allen's] showed glimpses of the talent he's got. We've known for a while, we've seen it domestically and briefly in international cricket over the last 12 months.
"He's one to watch for the future, and it's great to see him showing that at the highest level."
Through to the last four, the Blackcaps next face Pakistan in Sydney on Wednesday in the semi-final.
Victory would send the Blackcaps into the T20 World Cup final for the second time in as many years.
Opponents Pakistan, though, will be no easy beats, but Southee asserts the team are heading into it relaxed, with more than enough experience of must-win games.
"The guys are obviously excited," he added. "You show up to world events to try and be here as late as possible.
"It's been nice to have a couple of days off, it was travel, train, play there for a while. It's nice to sit back and enjoy a couple of days [off] and now with a couple of day's training leading into it.
"The guys are pretty happy. It's a pretty level sort of group. [We'll] just worry about the task at hand."
Join Newshub for live updates of the Blackcaps v Pakistan T20 World Cup semi-final from 9pm Wednesday
