The overriding temptation and eminently sensible option would be to approach this three-match Twenty20 series purely as intense and ideal preparation for the World T20 in Sri Lanka, which begins in just under two weeks.
But for Pakistan specifically it presents, potentially, a more pointed release: a chance, finally, to win a bilateral series against Australia.
It does not happen at all often. Pakistan have not won a Test series against Australia since 1994 and an one-day international series since 2002.
Just how much that burden weighs on them was apparent throughout the ODI series which they finally lost in Sharjah on Tuesday morning.
Pakistan could, maybe even should, have won it, but Misbah-ul-Haq, the captain, like so many predecessors, never seemed to believe they really could, leading as if nobody had told him that this is not Australia of the last decade.
But Twenty20 has brought some relief. For once in their rivalry, Pakistan can claim a numerical superiority, winning more matches than they have lost (even though one of the losses, in the semi-finals of the 2010 World T20, was as traumatic as any Australia have inflicted).
But that edge may not hold for long. Australia, belatedly, are getting serious about Twenty20. They possess plenty of players who can and do traverse formats comfortably, but there are also some who express themselves best over 20 overs.
Cameron White and Shane Watson will add power-hitting capability to a side that already includes David Warner and Glenn Maxwell; the latter will build on an impressive ODI series, while the former will hope the format allows him to shed the restraints the 50-over games put on him. Their pace attack is young and savvy enough to forage through the conditions that are put in front of them.
But keep an eye on the left-arm Chinaman of Brad Hogg, not only because he is 41 years young and a format specialist but because Pakistan are poor accumulators against spin.
Stringing together this new focus is the captain George Bailey. The Tasmanian was a surprise appointment to lead, but in the UAE (and England before) he has looked as everyone might expect an Australian to look as soon as they arrive: smart, prepared and going nowhere unless he has fought his fight.
Pakistan? They need to answer some pretty big questions (isn't that always the way?) about why they have slipped so steeply in a format they looked early on like they were to born to play in.
Mohammad Hafeez, like Bailey, is a new T20 captain but he has flitted in and out of form since he took over. And where does he play, given their glut of opening options? Does the emerging Nasir Jamshed partner him, or do they punt for the seductive and madcap tenor Imran Nazir creates?
Perhaps Kamran Akmal should open? And should his younger brother Umar not bat higher up the order? Which Umar Gul will turn up, a man increasingly prone to mood - and thus performance - swings? Do Pakistan know what to do with Abdul Razzaq (unanswered going on six years now); should he even be here? Ditto Mohammad Sami and Yasir Arafat.
The biggest question of all is one that will not be answered here, centring as it does on Shahid Afridi, in whose world not all is well. Afridi is out of the first two T20s at least with a hand injury but speculative questions are being asked of his commitment. More pertinent are those not asked about his diminishing returns this year. Afridi is central to Pakistan, as much as Saeed Ajmal, but he's getting on and the loss of the captaincy last year still bristles.'.
So forget winning the series, Pakistan might be happier if they can find some answers to any of these questions first.
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