Cricket World Cup: Black Caps have tasted defeat, what's next?

Battle of the brains. Will Kane Williamson use his former captain's (centre) over-attacking strategies to beat one of the game's top tacticians in England's Eoin Morgan? Photo / Photosport

You have to lose one to win one.

Of all the rules and regulations in sport, this may be one of the most universal edicts applying to all codes.

The simple phrase dictates that the only way to be the best, to lift the trophy, to summit the mountain is to experience the bitter taste of defeat, to come so close only to fall at the final hurdle.

We know this rule doesn't restrict itself to the international arena. Everyone from the All Blacks to your local club's third division team experience first-time finals jitters which can only be staved off by the knowledge and acceptance that you've been here before.

There are always one-offs. Teams that fluke a victory in their first final or those who's belief in their ability is so strong it carries them over the line in an epic encounter.

But more often than not, you cannot drink from the cup of success until you've had to stomach the lukewarm beverage earned by finishing second-best.

The Black Caps know this all too well and they will be ready.

Does this mean I'm picking the Kiwis as favourites going into Sunday night's clash against England at Lord's? No it doesn't, because they'll be lining up against one of the toughest one-day teams since 2015's World Cup.

But everything that happened in 2015 and in this year's tournament have put the Black Caps in the perfect position to emerge victorious on Monday morning (NZ time).

Using the logic employed by Game of Thrones, the most popular television series' on the planet as of May this year, those who have the best story shall end up on the throne.

While the show may have butchered the interpretation of that logic, I would put it to you that the Black Caps have had the best story of this competition.

The story begins in 2015, where too many of us will remember the nation's heartbreak over a finals fiasco against Australia in Melbourne. So much was promised during a partially home-based tournament with dramatic wins over Australia in the group stage and South Africa in the semifinals.

Thanks to one hit over long-on/mid-wicket, Grant Elliot wrote himself into New Zealand cricket folklore along with Captain Baz and King Kane. Our dynamic duo of Boulty and Southee were just as devastating with the ball and all signs pointed to a World Cup win.

But it was foiled. By a team we are all too familiar with and one we are lucky not to be facing again. While Australia's exit in the semifinals was a colossal failure on their part given the circumstances, another final against the old foes wouldn't have gone well for the Black Caps, I believe.

From there, the rebuilding of our nation's ODI team took place after a number of old heads vacated the premises. After four long years, we found ourselves back in the fight, battling for that coveted semifinal spot, knockout cricket.

The Black Caps showed great promise in round-robin play. They started with an emphatic statement against Sri Lanka, snuck past Bangladesh, triumphed over Afghanistan and recorded their most important result of all against India, pleasing the weather gods and washing out the game.

After that was the epitome of tournament highs and tournament lows. Their next two games were instant classics, beating South Africa with three balls to spare and trumping the West Indies by just five runs.

At the top of the table and in prime position to secure a top spot in the finals, New Zealand's luck ran out with three losses on the bounce to tournament dark horses, Pakistan, and favourites, Australia and England.

Not even I gave the Black Caps a chance going up against a talent-laden India on Tuesday night. I'm guessing even more would have lost faith as we posted 239 early on Wednesday.

But as we know, what followed was a magical performance in the field for the boys in black with some excellent opening bowling, an outstanding catch and a nail-biting run-out.

This story isn't bettered by England who have flip-flopped from looking unstoppable to unconvincing at the drop of a hat. However, there is no doubting their quality as evidenced by their demolishing of Australia.

So is it New Zealand's time to take the throne? That question still remains unanswered but one thing is for sure, we need to win the toss!