Defending champions New Zealand hope to end their Saskatoon curse when the men's softball world begin in Canada this week.
The Black Sox are chasing their seventh world title and their fifth in the last eight editions.
Over that period they have missed out twice when the tournament has been held at the softball heartland city in the Saskatchewan province.
New Zealand lost the 1988 final to the United States and the 2009 final to Australia, a result which prevents them from owning a streak of winning the last five tournaments.
The coach is softball great Mark Sorenson, who can call on a powerful roster at the 16-nation tournament, including seven players back from the squad who beat surprise packets Venezuela in the 2013 final in Auckland.
Sorenson was forced to make some hard selection calls, including dropping three-time gold medallist Donny Hale, along with Tyron Bartorillo. Proven world class pitcher Jeremy Manley made himself unavailable.
There are seven world championship rookies in his 17-man squad including shortstop Cole Evans, who at 16 will be the youngest Black Sox player to contest a world championship since Sorenson won the first of his four gold medals in 1984.
Top-seeded New Zealand's opening game in their eight-strong pool A is against third seeds Argentina on Saturday (NZT).
Other strong early competition is expected to come from hosts Canada while Australia and the United States are the powerhouses of pool B.
The top four teams from both pools advance to quarter-finals on July 3.
NZ squad:
Pitchers: Nik Hayes, Kurt Schollum, Heinie Shannon.
Catchers: Stephen Ratu, Connor Peden.
Infield: Tyson Byrne, Joel Evans, Cole Evans, Josh Harbrow, Jerome Raemaki, Brad Rona.
Outfield: Nathan Nukunuku (capt), Thomas Enoka, Ben Enoka, Jovaan Hanley, Wayne Laulu, Campbell Makea.
Pool A: New Zealand, Canada, Argentina, Great Britain, Philippines, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Indonesia.
Pool B: United States, Australia, Japan, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Denmark, Netherlands.
NZN