T20 World Cup: Blackcaps wicketkeeper Devon Conway says best is yet to come as tournament hits business end

With the knockout stages reached, Blackcaps part-time wicketkeeper Devon Conway says the best is yet to come as he looks to stamp his mark on the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup.

The outstanding left-handed batsman was handed the wicket-keeping gloves for the second group game against India and has worn them every moment since, as New Zealand won four straight games to qualify for the semi-finals.

Conway hasn't quite had the run-scoring returns he had hoped, but he looked to be nearing his best form in the thumping eight-wicket win over Afghanistan on Monday morning, scoring an unbeaten 36.

In all, the 30-year-old has 83 runs at a strike rate of 102.46 batting in the unfamiliar position of no.4, but Conway says with top-order dominating, he has to bide his time.

"Personally, I probably haven't hit my straps from the beginning of this tournament - time in the middle today was crucial for me," Conway says.

"I've been lucky though - there've been a couple of chases where I've not really been needed - the top order have done a really good job and Kane's [Williamson] been the rock, as he always is."

And the main reason for Conway's contribution not being as valuable as predicted pre-tournament has been the outstanding effort of the bowling unit.

Even in defeat against the red-hot Pakistanis, the bowlers took the game to the final over, with wickets being shared around among the group.

Conway says standing behind the stumps to such a refined T20 bowling group has been "awesome".

"A lot of credit has to go to our bowling attack - they've been awesome in all five games. 

"They've really restricted sides and given us batters a lot of buffering space."

"I do enjoy keeping, it keeps me engaged in the game.

"You do get a good feel for how the wicket is playing and you can sort of come up with a plan for how you're going to bat."

And as the tournament hits the business end, Conway is excited he will still have familiar faces cheering him on.

The Wellingtonian's mother, father, and extended family have been present at various games throughout the group stage and that will continue in the semi-finals.

"It's been special," Conway says.

"It's probably near three years since I've last seen them ... so just to see them from a distance has been pretty cool.

"I had an opportunity to stand about six or seven metres away from them in Sharjah to try and talk to them from a distance. Hopefully, I can catch up with them [in person] at some point in the near future."

Join us at 2am Thursday for live updates of the Blackcaps v England T20 World Cup semi-final