Australia coach Mickey Arthur says it's absolutely vital to start well with bat and ball if George Bailey's side hope to do well in the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in a week's time.

Australia warmed up for their opening clash with Ireland in Colombo on September 19 by playing a three-match series against Pakistan in Dubai, which Pakistan won 2-1.

However Australia recovered well from a collapse for 89 in game one to lose the second match in extra time by one run and claim their second-biggest win ever in Monday night's game three.

Openers Shane Watson (47) and David Warner (59) shared an Australian record partnership of 111 in a total of 7-168 and Pakistan were bowled out for their lowest-ever score of 74 in reply.

Skipper Bailey's squad of 15 were due to arrive in Colombo on Wednesday and have training sessions over the next two days before their first warm-up game against New Zealand on Saturday.

"It was an important win for us so we could get a little bit of momentum and take that into Sri Lanka," Arthur said.

"The guys are building. The guys are coming into some form now, which is very, very pleasing.

"If you lose early wickets in this kind of format and you play a tentative brand you get yourself into trouble and that's where we were in game one.

"It just shows the beginning of each of your innings are crucial.

"If your openers get you off to a really good start, you get momentum and it sets you up for a score.

"And then if your opening bowlers start the same way and you take early wickets, you can put the opposition under some real pressure."

Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins took three wickets each to put Pakistan on the back foot at 5-19 off the first 5.1 overs.

While Glenn Maxwell's hard-hitting 27 at No.3 was another good sign for Australia, their middle-order batting failed to fire, with Mike Hussey, Bailey, Cameron White and Dan Christian contributing 18 runs between them.

White and Christian will be keen to show something with bat and ball in the warm-up games against New Zealand and England.

Medium-pacer Clint McKay, who has resumed full training following a hamstring injury, is another player Arthur wants to have a look at in match conditions over the next week.