Dubai: For Aaron Finch, Australia's 20-run victory over Pakistan in Dubai wasn't the result of eight hours' labour but six months of sheer determination.
Australia grabbed an eighth consecutive ODI win, their first 5-0 series victory overseas since 2008, and no shortage of World Cup momentum.
Australia's World Cup defence was a jittery and jumbled mess at the start of the home summer but their prospects of triumphing in England are now positive rather than pitiful.
Australia has swept its ODI series against Pakistan, winning the fifth and final match after Usman Khawaja made 98.
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Finch, who scored 451 runs in his career-best series to silence those pundits questioning his place in the team, highlighted a six-month stretch rather than a single statistic when asked about the turnaround.
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"If you think back to six months ago, a lot of people were slamming us," Finch said.
"A lot of people were writing us off.
"When you're building towards something and you've changed a bit of your strategy and game plan, I think it can a little bit of time to develop. It did."
A remodelled approach to batting, underlined by Usman Khawaja's call-up after two years in ODI exile, paid big dividends yet again on Sunday.
Another freewheeling Glenn Maxwell masterclass and a 134-run opening stand between Finch and Khawaja powered Australia to 7-327 in the series finale.
Maxwell made a mockery of an under-strength Pakistan attack, scoring 70 from 33 deliveries to earn man-of-the-match honours, while a dehydrated Khawaja top- scored with 98.
Much like the previous dead rubber at the same venue, Pakistan's chase was promising.
Haris Sohail's 130 guided his team, who finished at 7-307, to a point where they required 89 from the final 10 overs.
Nathan Lyon snapped a 102-run stand between Sohail and Umar Akmal with a well- flighted delivery, while Kane Richardson claimed the all-important scalp of Sohail.
Finch's team stunned India last month, becoming the first Australian outRead More – Source
