Fuelled by Martin Guptill's high-octane double century, New Zealand will hunt down history in a World Cup semi-final against South Africa on Tuesday.
The Black Caps have reached six previous World Cup semi-finals and lost them all.
South Africa, also without a title, present a monumental challenge at Eden Park but the hosts have every right to be confident following their 143-run drubbing of the West Indies in the quarter-final at Wellington on Saturday.
Guptill's 237 not out was the innings of the tournament, providing more then 60 per cent of his team's 6-393.
The opener joins a healthy list of Black Caps to have thrived at the tournament, where a perfect record from seven games stretches their unbeaten run to nine.
Seamer Trent Boult's 4-44 lifts him to the top of the wicket-taking list on 19, one ahead of Australian Mitchell Starc.
The left-armer reiterated the need for New Zealand to remain true to the attitude and attacking tactics that have served them so well.
"We'll get up there and prepare for it like any other game in this tournament," he said.
"We have a lot of scouting to do of a quality South African side and then give it our best come Tuesday."
South Africa looked ominous in winning the first quarter-final in Sydney last Wednesday, crushing Sri Lanka by nine wickets in a particularly impressive bowling display.
Guptill hopes the Auckland crowd can match the volume of the Wellington cauldron, which he is adamant provides the Black Caps with a measurable advantage.
The other finalists will be determined in the second semi-final in Sydney on Thursday, between Australia and India.
TOURNAMENT LEADERS
Runs: Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka, 541), Martin Guptill (New Zealand, 498), Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe, 433), AB de Villiers (South Africa, 417), Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka, 395),
Wickets: Trent Boult (New Zealand, 19), Mitchell Starc (Australia, 18), Mohammed Shami (India, 17), Jerome Taylor (West Indies, 17), Wahab Riaz (Pakistan, 16)
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