After wiping the floor with the West Indies, New Zealand are riding high heading into three T20s and two tests against Pakistan.
The Black Caps huddle together before taking to the field. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
In contrast, the visitors first three weeks here have hardly been ideal, positive Covid cases and misbehaviour during managed isolation resulting in them not being allowed to train while quarantined.
When they finally got their freedom, a broken thumb for captain and best batsman Babar Azam ruled him out the entire T20 series.
But Black Caps bowling coach Shane Jurgensen was adamant Pakistan would be ready.
"I know they worked very hard back in Pakistan before they came here, and they're experienced.
"When you've got that experience, you know what you've got to do very specifically
"Yeah it's been unfortunate for them but at the same time, we certainly won't be taking them any lighter than we would be any other opposition."
There were levelling factors.
Lockie Ferguson was now sidelined with injury, while fellow seamers Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson were taking a break, and wouldn't return until game two.
Captain Kane Williamson was also absent after his wife gave birth to their first child this week, meaning Mitchell Santner would lead a comparatively inexperienced side at Eden Park on Friday night.
Coach Gary Stead expected Pakistan to provide a sterner test than the West Indies.
"They have a very good balance.
"They've got good pace bowlers, left-armers, right-armers and a world class legspinner as well, and they've got some very exciting batsman."
Pakistan's Wahab Riaz celebrates the wicket of Zimbabwe's Tawanda Mupariwa. Photo: AFP
T20 was also the most fickle of cricket's formats, giving the visitors added chance of an upset.
Spin bowling all-rounder Imad Wasim said, despite a tough first three weeks on Kiwi soil, they were good to go.
"We've played a couple of practice games in the last week and a couple of hard training sessions.
"Obviously international cricket is really hard but most of the guys have been through this and they know how to get themselves up and pick themselves up for the international games."
In experienced left-armer Wahab Riaz, talented youngster Shaheen Afridi and speedy newcomer Haris Rauf, the visitors had a strong seam arsenal, while spinners Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan were ranked inside the world's top 12 T20 bowlers.
Riaz said that bowling unit, and the amount of T20 cricket the Pakistan players had played recently, meant they would challenge the Black Caps more than the West Indies did.
"We have been playing against Zimbabwe, had a good series against them, and the domestic T20 tournaments
"I think that could be the thing which goes in [our] favour."
It was clear, though, New Zealand were healthy favourites.
Not that, according to Jurgensen, they were resting of their laurels after easily accounting for the Windies.
"There's certainly some level of momentum in terms of the bubble and the team and the way that you turn up.
"You're excited and when you're on the wrong side of the fence sometimes you're not excited when you turn up to training. There's that, that's about all, though."
-RNZ