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Australia have secured their T20 series against India with a match to spare following a tense seven-run victory in Mumbai, built around another scintillating innings from Ellyse Perry.
- Ellyse Perry hit 72 off 42 balls to lead Australia to a seven-run T20 victory over India
- The win ensures Australia win the series with a game to spare
- It's Perry's second blazing knock in two matches as her limited overs comeback gets off to a hot start
The veteran maintained her successful comeback to the short-form side at Brabourne Stadium on Saturday with a 42-ball unbeaten 72 with seven fours and four sixes.
It was even quicker than the 47-ball 75 she made in Wednesday's third match, which was her first T20I knock for 14 months.
A third-wicket partnership of 94 in 59 balls with Ash Gardner was followed by 48 off the last 20 balls in tandem with Grace Harris, whose brutal 12-ball cameo produced 27 runs.
The 3-188 total proved just enough to survive a late Indian onslaught.
With player of the match Gardner swapping bat for ball to take 2-20 in four overs India finished on 5-181.
Australia thus took a 3-1 lead in the five-match series, with the final match to be played on Tuesday [12:30am Wednesday AEDT].
The only sour note for the tourists was the forced retirement of skipper Alyssa Healy, who strained her calf hitting a boundary. She lasted one more ball before retiring on 30 and did not keep wicket when Australia fielded.
Australia had begun aggressively with Healy taking a contrasting quartet of fours off the opening two overs, a slash past gully, a cover drive, a leg glance, and a snick between the keeper's legs.
After that bold, if skittish start, the rate slowed as Beth Mooney miscued a drive to be dismissed for an eight-ball two, then Healy retired hurt, followed by Tahlia McGrath, bowled for nine off ten balls.
That left Australia 2-46 off 41 balls, needing to step it up.
Enter Perry, who skipped down the pitch to launch Radha Yadav for six first ball.
With Gardner the perfect partner, the pair rattled along at nine-an-over before Gardner holed out at long-on seeking her fourth six.
It did not make life easier for India however as Grace Harris smacked 13 off her first four balls.
With five balls left Deepti Sharma, who was bowling, should have run out Perry. Instead she allowed an extra run, putting Perry back on strike. The next two balls went for six.
"It's been nice to be able to play the way I have in the last couple of games but even nicer to just be involved with this team," Perry said.
"I'm really enjoying the opportunity batting with this group. Grace was absolutely amazing tonight, so was Ash."
India went for it from the start with Smriti Mandhana hitting the first, third and fifth balls of the opening over, bowled by Darcie Brown for four.
But Mandhana was caught behind by stand-in keeper Mooney off Gardner in the third over. Two overs later Shafali Verma followed for a 16-ball 20 just as she was getting into the groove.
That brought to the cease Harmanpreet Kaur, who was always likely to be India's key batter. However, the rate climbed to 12-an-over before she cut loose hitting five fours in seven balls off Megan Schutt and Heather Graham. But Alana King induced a top-edged sweep to Brown and the skipper was out for a 30-ball 46.
That looked to be it, but though Devika Vaidya soon followed for a 26-ball 32 Richa Ghosh kept the chase going.
With 12 balls left India needed 38. Ghosh went six, six, four before Graham closed the over out with two singles.
That left 20 needed off the final over but Shutt kept them to 12, Ghosh finishing on 40 no from 19 balls.
AAP