Fairytale finish all in a day's work for 300-gamer Perry

Ellyse Perry’s six to seal victory over India in her milestone match could not have been scripted better.

But while pundits and fans alike rushed to call it a fairytale, Perry was far less sentimental in the immediate aftermath of the match.

"It was lovely to get the win but (I was) probably just doing my job in the end," Perry said on broadcast after Australia’s six-wicket win. 

"We got a bit of a what-for the other night, India played especially well.

"So for us to come back and put in such a superb bowling effort there in the first innings, and it was a difficult chase, but nice to finish with Phoebe who in the end there was sensational."

Job or no job, Perry’s innings to see Australia level the T20I series 1-1 at DY Patil Stadium on Sunday night encapsulated the transformation the 33-year-old’s batting game has undergone across the last 18 months – and highlighted why game No.350 or even 400 could be in the 33-year-old’s future, should she desire it.

With Australia under pressure in a low chase having lost back-to-back wickets, Perry launched a massive six into the tourists’ dugout, immediately easing the strain on fresh batter Phoebe Litchfield.

Then with four needed from seven balls, she again dispatched the ball over the boundary, sealing victory.

She finished unbeaten on 34 from 21 deliveries, having scored at a strike rate of 162.

In the same innings, Beth Mooney (20 from 29), Tahlia McGrath (19 from 21) and Ashleigh Gardner (7 from 10) had all struggled to get going.

Only twice in her career has Perry finished an international game with a six, and both have come in the last three months.

Since returning to the Australian T20 XI in December 2022, she has struck at 152.05. Her SR in the format prior to that was 105.47.

The Australian chase stuttered at times and when Perry was joined by Litchfield they needed 32 off 24, however the dugout remained confident the pair could get the job done.

"I'd be lying if I said there weren't any nerves ... but everyone knows that the form that Pheebs is in and Pez as well, just such a calm head. We bat so deep as well, so I was pretty confident all the way," Kim Garth said after the game.

Australia’s bowlers were disciplined in their execution to restrict India to 8-130, after being put to the sword in India’s nine-wicket win two days prior.

Perry said the squad had a "really good debrief" after the game, and praised the addition of Garth, who took 2-27 including the key early wickets of Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues.

"We were really honest, but at the same time, I think all these opportunities to play more games together as a T20 squad are great learning opportunities for us," Perry said. 

"We really missed that execution the other night. 

"So to come back and get a chance to bowl first – the ball's doing a bit so if you can be spot on with the way that you're bowling, it's particularly hard for the batters. 

"Kim Garth was sensational upfront, the way that she bowled and then I thought the way that we held the run rate the whole way through those 20 overs was great."

Australia and India will meet in the series decider on Tuesday evening (12.30am Wednesday AEDT).

Australia's CommBank Tour of India

Test match: India won by eight wickets

First ODI: Australia won by six wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by three runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 190 runs

First T20I: India won by nine wickets

Second T20I: Australia won by six wickets

January 9: Third T20I, DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Heather Graham, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

India T20 squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia, Richa Ghosh, Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Mannat Kashyap, Saika Ishaque, Renuka Singh, Titas Sadhu, Pooja Vastrakar, Kanika Ahuja, Minnu Mani