Australia have done New Zealand a huge favour at the Women's Cricket World Cup, defeating India by six wickets at Auckland's Eden Park.
Chasing 278 runs for victory, a captain's knock from Australia's Meg Lanning (97) and a matchwinning cameo from Beth Mooney (30 not out) guided her side home with three balls left to maintain their undefeated status at the tournament.
More importantly for the White Ferns, Australia's win denies India two valuable points and dents their net run rate, with spots in the semi-finals still up for grabs.
India currently have four points from their first five matches with two wins and three losses, and could be passed by either New Zealand or England - who face each other at the same venue on Sunday in an effective quarter-final.
The White Ferns also have four points with two wins and three defeats, but sit fifth on the table with an inferior run rate after last week's huge loss to Australia. The top four sides will advance to the semi-s.
Unbeaten Australia have booked their spot in the semi-finals, with South Africa all but having done the same, leaving the White Ferns, India, West Indies, England and potentially Bangladesh as contenders to reach the last four.
Batting first, India plundered an impressive 277/7 from their 50 overs, as the middle order of Yaskita Bhatia (59), captain Mithali Raj (68) and Harmanpreet Kaur (57 not out) all chipped in with half centuries towards their team's total.
Darcie Brown was the pick of Australia's bowlers by taking 3/30 from eight overs, as the only bowler to concede less than four runs an over.
Chasing 278 for victory, Australia were aided by a 121-run opening partnership between Rachel Haynes (43) and wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy (72).
Healy's departure in the 20th over only brought Lanning to the crease and the Australian captain went about chipping away at the Indian total.
With a series of classy shots off both the front and back foot, Lanning added a century stand with No.4 batter Ellyse Perry (28), contributing 71 of the pair's 103-run partnership.
Lanning passed 50 from 56 balls and took the run chase deep, as Australia needed 11 runs from the final 12 balls.
But within sight of her 15th one-day international century, Lanning fell three runs shy, slicing Meghna Singh to Pooja Vastrakar at point and leaving the equation at eight needed from eight balls.
And after two dot balls at Tahlia McGrath, Australia needed eight runs from the final over to maintain their unbeaten record.
Mooney kept her composure, launching the first ball of the final over for four to wide long-on and the third ball of the over straight back over bowler Jhulan Goswami's head for another boundary to seal the win.
The victory opens the door for the White Ferns to move as high as third on the table, with a win on Sunday elevating them over both India and the West Indies on the table.
India 277/7 (Raj 68, Bhatia 59, Kaur 57 not out, Brown 3/30) Australia 280/4 (Lanning 97, Healy 72, Vastrakar 2/43)
Australia win by six wickets
