Australia target 11-year first in finale

Australia will be eyeing their first 5-0 series sweep abroad in more than a decade when they look to continue their remarkable form resurgence against Pakistan on Sunday.

Having lost 11 of 13 ODIs in 2018 and four of their first five matches this year, Australia are suddenly riding a seven-game winning streak just two months out from the start of their World Cup defence.

Victory in Dubai on Sunday will secure a 5-0 series sweep against Pakistan, something Australia have achieved only four times before and only twice away from home from 35 previous five-game series.

It would also secure an eighth consecutive win abroad for the first time in 12 years; the previous three occasions Australia have won eight games in a row away from home includes their World Cup wins in 2007 and 2003, as well as a streak of eight away wins in 1990.

Australia’s two most recent 5-0 victories came at home, against the West Indies in 2012-13 and Pakistan in 2009-10, while you have to go back to 2008 for the last time they won 5-0 away from home. That was against the West Indies in the Caribbean – a side that included current No.3 Shaun Marsh – while the Aussies also swept the Black Caps 5-0 in New Zealand in 2005.

Should Australia win on Sunday, it’ll be the first time they’ve won a series 5-0 in a World Cup year.

"It's an exciting proposition for us," Glenn Maxwell said after his match-winning performance in his side’s come-from-behind win on Friday.

"That's all the motivation you need – to have a clean sweep in a foreign country after we haven’t had a lot of success over the last 12 months. It'd be great for this group to win 5-0.

"I feel like we've played some extremely good cricket … we've adapted brilliantly to different conditions and everyone's chipped in at different times. It's been a really good team effort the whole time over here. One more big effort for us over here and blokes can take their holidays."

Australia’s recent experience of series whitewashes bring only bad memories; they were beaten 0-5 in England last year in what was Justin Langer’s first series as coach, while they also lost all matches in a five-game series in South Africa in 2016.

The last time Australia won all matches in an ODI series of any length was a 3-0 win at home against New Zealand in 2016, while they also swept Pakistan 3-0 in the UAE in 2014.

An eighth consecutive win would also the first time they’ve enjoyed such a winning streak since they won nine matches in a row in 2015, including the final six matches of that year’s World Cup.

Australia have won eight matches consecutively 11 times in their history, including an extraordinary streak of 21 straight wins in 2003, which also included an unbeaten World Cup campaign.

"Because we've had a bit of winning momentum behind us, you find a way to win these,” Maxwell said after Pakistan lost 6-52 to throw away victory in the fourth match of the series.

"If you look back six-seven months ago, probably even less, we were probably on the other side of it. We were finding ways to lose when we were in winning positions. It's a funny thing, winning momentum. When you're winning games, you just find a way to win."

Qantas Tour of the UAE

First ODI: Australia won by eight wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by eight wickets

Third ODI: Australia won by 80 runs

Fourth ODI: Australia won by six runs

Fifth ODI: v Pakistan, March 31 in Dubai

(all matches begin at 10pm AEDT)