New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said his team have the belief needed to be serious contenders at the Cricket World Cup.
The tournament co-hosts are considered among the favourites to win the trophy, along with Australia and South Africa.
McCullum said none of the squads he had been involved in – this is his fourth World Cup – had ever come into the tournament with so much confidence.
"We never have. Not the ones I've entered into anyway," he said.
"You always hope things will work out well. Did you genuinely believe it? Maybe, maybe not.
"We believe we are a good cricket team, we believe we have a chance in this World Cup, but geez there's some good teams around as well.
"We're going to need things to fall in our favour at times as well, we're going to have to see some key moments when they arise."
Expectations have grown for New Zealand, particularly playing on home soil and given their recent form, as they prepare to face Sri Lanka in the tournament opener on Saturday.
Asked if it was a relief to finally have the tournament starting, McCullum said it was – with his team's ideal preparation complete.
"It is to be honest. It's taken a long time to get to this point in time," he said.
"Even after the warm-up game the other day, we sat in the change room and kind of said 'great job on where we've got to, but now the real work starts'.
"That's great from a management, coaching, selection and leading players' point of view, to know we've done everything we possibly can to get the team in the best shape leading into the World Cup.
"Now it's about how we deal with what's in front of us in the next little while.
"I can say the guys are excited, there's probably a few nerves and a few anxieties within the group, but that's only natural as well, but other guys are just genuinely excited about what's in front of us."