Ash Gardner has held her nerve to defy India as women's Twenty20 cricket debuted at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Chasing 155 to win in the tournament opener on Friday at Edgbaston, Australia were teetering at 5-49 after opening bowler Renuka Singh Thakur ripped through the top order.
But the allrounder wasn't fazed, piloting the favourites home with six balls to spare to finish unbeaten on 52 off 35 balls and extend the side's unbeaten run in all forms to 14.
She combined with the similarly unflustered Grace Harris (37 off 20) to ensure there was no repeat of the 50-over World Cup pool loss to the same opposition earlier this year.
Gardner was careful early but then clicked into top gear once Harris exited in what proved a match-turning 51-run partnership.
The victory was a crucial one, leaving India no wriggle room in games against Caribbean champions Barbados and Pakistan to ensure they qualify in the top two to earn a semi-final berth.
Thakur (4-18) had 4-8 at one stage, dismissing Alyssa Healy with the second ball then claiming the scalps of Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath as Australia struggled on the unfamiliar hybrid surface.
Earlier, India's batters kept coming at Australia, Shafali Verma hitting nine fours in her 48 off just 33 balls before Healy's decision to review a caught behind paid off.
Smriti Mandhana (24 off 17) looked in top form and Harmanpreet Kaur's late flurry (52 off 38) pushed India beyond 150.
Jess Jonassen (4-22) at one stage had 4-15 before Kaur lifted the final ball of her spell well over the long-on fence, while Megan Schutt (2-26) held her nerve with two wickets in the final over.
