The late arrivals of fast-bowlers Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson have finally brought the Blackcaps contingent to full strength, as they prepare for their T20 World Cup opener against Afghanistan just four days away.
The tournament began four days ago, with a high-octane showdown between hosts USA and neighbours Canada in Texas, but the New Zealand roster has been slow to come together, with players gathering from across the globe.
"It's been the way of the world for a while now, with the different leagues that are on," admitted coach Gary Stead. "I don't think anyone here has raised eyebrows too much at it.
"It's getting that balance right between getting ready to play that first match and also trying to get guys some time at home to be with their families and reconnect with them.
"Some of these guys have been at the IPL for two-and-a-half months, so it's taxing, whether you're playing or not. It can be a long time away from home."
Boult and Ferguson were the last Kiwis left alive at the Indian Premier League, with Ferguson's Rajasthan Royals eliminating Boult's Royal Challengers Bangalore, before they too fell at the penultimate stage of the tournament last week.
Based at Guyana, the Blackcaps have chosen not to play any build-up matches and will find themselves on the backfoot against the dangerous Afghans, who begin their campaign against Uganda on Tuesday.
Stead and his team will watch that encounter with interest, not just to gauge their opponents, but also conditions.
"Tonight will be a big factor for us, just seeing how the ball behaves off the surface," he said. "I do think the difference between day and night can be quite vast here, especially with the dew factor.
"That's something we'll watch very, very closely tonight to see how that match goes."
Join Newshub at 11:30am Saturday for live updates of the Blackcaps v Afghanistan World Cup clash
