Ellyse Perry and Kim Garth were the stars for Australia as they beat India’s women’s team in the second T20I of their three-match series at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.

With this win, Australia levelled the three-match T20I series 1-1, having lost the first match by nine wickets.

Batting first, India lost the wicket of opener Shafali Varma in the second over before Jemima Rodrigues departed after scoring 13 runs off nine deliveries, as Garth provided Australia with two early breakthroughs.

Smriti Mandhana got off a good start but couldn’t convert it into a big score, falling at the hands of Annabel Sutherland after scoring 23 runs off 26 balls, hitting two boundaries and one six. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur couldn’t move the scoreboard much, being dismissed by Ashleigh Gardner after scoring a 12-ball 6.

With India reeling at 54 for 4 at 10.1 overs, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh got the hosts back in the game with some clean hitting, while stitching a 33-run partnership. However, after Ghosh’s dismissal, wickets kept tumbling around Deepti as India ended with 130 for 8 on the scoreboard in 20 overs.

In the second innings, Australia got off to a dream start with Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney putting up 51 runs in seven overs before Healy fell at the hands of Deepti after scoring 26 runs off 21 deliveries. Mooney soon followed her skipper back to the pavilion as Deepti picked up her second wicket of the evening.

However, Perry formed two crucial partnerships, first with Tahlia McGrath and then with Phoebe Litchfield, to steer her side to victory. Perry and McGrath stitched a 31-run stand before Shreyanka Patil sent McGrath back.

Fast-bowler Pooja Vastrakar provided India with the wicket of Ashleigh Gardner but Perry and Litchfield remained unbeaten on 34 and 18 respectively to help Australia chase down the target with six wickets and an over remaining.

The two sides will now clash at the same venue for the series decider on Tuesday, January 9.