A relieved Andrew Symonds admits he had been counting down the matches potentially left in his international career until his match-winning hand against Pakistan revived his Ashes hopes.

Symonds, whose career had been in free-fall since July last year because of disciplinary breaches, injury and mediocre form, finally rediscovered his touch of old in Dubai on Friday night.

He scored 58 from 62 balls to help Australia comfortably reach 4-208 in 45.1 overs, chasing Pakistan’s 207 all out.

It came after he had taken two wickets in as many balls near the tail-end of Pakistan’s innings to curtail a barrage of late hitting which threatened to set up a much bigger run chase.

His innings was extremely timely, coming to the crease after Australia lost two wickets in three balls to spinners Shahid Afridi and Saaed Ajmal, who ripped through the batting line-up in the series-opener two days earlier.

It was even more urgent in terms of his own future after he made just two on Wednesday in his comeback game to continue the batting struggles he endured at state level while out of the Australian side.

Symonds admitted he entered the match feeling a huge weight on his shoulders, given his career could have been over had he continued to underperform for the rest of the series in the United Arab Emirates.

“I did feel like that,” he said.

“In the first game I got out and I thought ‘Gee, there’s one down, I’ve got possibly five to go.’

“That’s how I was looking at it.”

Symonds said the series of five one-dayers and one Twenty20 match against Pakistan probably doubled as his personal audition for the upcoming Ashes tour.

After spending the best part of nine months out of the game due to twice being stood down and ordered to undergo counselling, with knee surgery in between, he had wondered whether he was still up to it.

But those doubts were erased with his performance against Pakistan, which also demonstrated why the selectors have kept the faith.

“I’d been away for quite a while and that was probably the main thing that was going through my head the last little bit, whether I could find the way that I played successfully when I was in the side,” he said.

“It was a very important innings for me.

“I’m glad that it happened now and not in two games’ time or the last game, because this has given me a bit of confidence going into the next few games that I play.

“There’s a bit of relief there and believing that I can do what I used to do is a great thing to feel again.”

Symonds said his time out of the game was enormously frustrating, particularly given the frequency of Australia’s losses.

“A piece of me was still there with them,” he said.

“When you’d hear or saw that they lost, it hurts, I desperately wanted to be there and be helping.”

Acting captain Michael Clarke said having Symonds back and in form was a major boost for Australia’s prospects.

“Without a doubt Symo in form is brilliant in any team,” Clarke said.

“Obviously his batting’s a given, when he’s scoring runs he’s brilliant to have because he can win a game, no matter what form of the game, on his own.

“His fielding and bowling speaks for itself as well.”

© AAP 2012

Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.