Proving its Champions Trophy campaign was no flash in the pan is high on the agenda for New Zealand as it sets off for a series against a Pakistan side that lies one below on the world ODI rankings.
Qualifying for the final of the Champions Trophy, eventually losing to Australia, pushed New Zealand up to fourth on the ICC table behind the No.1 Aussies and fellow powerhouses India and South Africa.
But that ranking won't last long – only three matches in fact – if New Zealand cannot back up its recent performances by beating fifth-placed Pakistan in the upcoming ODI series on neutral ground in the UAE.
Pakistan is only one ranking point behind, with Sri Lanka and England a further three behind and a slip in form will see New Zealand plummet again.
"It's a big thing for a New Zealand team is getting that consistency right. It's another opportunity to do that," captain Daniel Vettori said.
"We won three out of five games over there [at the Champions Trophy] – if we can do that then it'll be a series win. That's what we've got to aim for."
Vettori is wary of the challenge that the enigmatic Pakistanis present as a side which can switch from the sublime to the ridiculous in the blink of an eye.
There is also the drama of match fixing allegations surrounding captain Younus Khan, who offered his resignation as a result but has subsequently received the Pakistan Cricket Board's full backing until the 2011 World Cup.
To top it off, seam bowler Mohammad Asif cannot travel to the UAE after he was deported in June last year for possessing a small portion of opium.
"I think it's status quo so they get on with it," Vettori said. "They've dealt with it in the past and they're used to it.
"We know they can be a great team but in a lot of ways we can resemble them as well with our own inconsistencies.
"Both teams will be searching for that consistency throughout the tournament."
Although Asif is missing, Pakistan still has plenty of pace bowling weapons in Umar Gul, Naved-ul-Hasan and highly-talented 17-year-old left-armer Mohammad Aamer.
That is coupled with the threat of spinners Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi on Abu Dhabi pitches that are expected to mirror the low, slow turners usually found in Pakistan.
That was the case when Australia visited for a neutral tour in April/May – a series where Afridi (10) and Nathan Hauritz (8) were the leading wicket-takers and, along with Ajmal, all went under four runs an over.
"I think they prepared pretty good wickets against Australia – they were a little bit slow but teams are entitled to prepare wickets that suit them a little bit and no doubt they're going to be the standard sub-continent wickets," Vettori said.
"We've taken a lot of information from there. It looks a superb facility but I think the wicket will test us."
New Zealand is likely to play two spinners of its own as Vettori is partnered by the recalled Nathan McCullum, who has been playing swapsies with Jeetan Patel for the back-up off-spinning role in ODIs.
"The fact of the matter is that Nathan bowled exceptionally well in the Twenty20 World Cup and gives us a bit more of an option with the bat," Vettori said.
"We decided to go that way because a lot of time with a second spinner you like him to have a bit of batting up his sleeve. Jeetan is definitely improved that regard but it probably tipped the balance there."