As others lost their heads around him, rookie Rachin Ravindra has cooly scored winning runs off the penultimate ball to steer New Zealand to victory in the third Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka and a series victory at Queenstown.
After limiting their rivals to 182/6 off their 20 overs, the Blackcaps arrived at their final over needing 10 runs to win with seven wickets in hand, but three wickets in consecutive balls ramped up the pressure on their lower order.
With two balls remaining, the home side needed two runs and Ravindra, who has been a revelation during the white-ball matches against Sri Lanka, duly obliged, carving the penultimate delivery to the offside for the required runs.
The result sees New Zealand clinch the three-match T20 series, after falling behind with a Super Over defeat in the opener, but charging back for a comprehensive victory at Dunedin to square the ledger.
NZ captain Tom Latham won his third toss of the series and asked his opponents to bat for the third time, but Sri Lanka built their innings on a strong foundation, with Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis putting on 76 runs for the first wicket.
Wicketkeeper Mendis compiled 73 off 48 balls, including five sixes, to lead the batting effort and the visitors seemed head for a total in excess of 200, before staggering over the finish-line over their last two overs, scoring just three off Matt Henry's last to fall short of their target.
New Zealand began their chase in positive fashion, with opener Tim Seifert and Latham combining for 84 runs for the second wicket. Like Mendis, Seifert provided the basis of the Blackcaps innings, reaching a new personal best of 88 runs off 48 balls, before he was caught and bowled by Pramod Madushan.
When he left, the hard work had been done, but his successors at the crease began to falter.
Mark Chapman started the final over with a six that reduced the asking rate to four off five balls - but the next three balls saw him, Jimmy Neesham and Daryl Mitchell depart in rapid time.
Chapman skied a top edge off the second ball from Lahirua Kumara to Charith Asalanka, before Neesham was run out, attempting a crazy single off a wide delivery.
Neesham's reaction suggested Mitchell had called him through for the run and if that was the case, Mitchell got his karma next ball, when he also skied a catch to skipper Dasun Shanaka, leaving Ravindra and tailender Adam Milne to face the music.
Milne swung and missed, but made his ground at the non-striker's end for a much-needed bye, putting the more accomplished batter in the firing line - and Ravindra stayed cool under pressure to deliver.
The Blackcaps now embark on a 10-match white-ball tour of Pakistan, beginning with a Twenty20 match on Friday.
NZ 183/6 (Seifert 88, Latham 31; Kumara 3/38) Sri Lanka 182/6 (Mendis 73, Perera 33, Nissanka 25; Lister 2/37)
NZ win by four wickets
