Cricket World Cup 2022: Good news for White Ferns as Australia make World Cup history with record chase to beat India

Beth Mooney saw Australia home against India. Photo / Photosport

Australia have seen off a spirited India to remain perfect at the Cricket World Cup, a result that has boosted New Zealand's semifinal hopes.

Tournament favourites Australia earned their fifth win from as many games after chasing down their target of 278 with three balls and six wickets to spare at Eden Park, recording the highest chase in World Cup history.

Captain Meg Lanning made 97 and Alyssa Healy 72 as Australia locked in a semifinal place.

The victory means India stay level with the White Ferns on four points with two games remaining, and the White Ferns will remain in the semifinal hunt until at least their final game against Pakistan, regardless of their result against England tomorrow.

India laid down a challenge when they made 277-7 after being asked to bat in a match which always was going to be high-scoring on a fresh but flat pitch.

They also bowled and fielded well to take the six-time champions into the final over in a record run chase.

Beth Mooney provided a cool head for Australia as it came to the final over needing eight runs to win. She struck a four from the first ball from Jhulan Goswami, who was playing in her 200th one-day international, and another boundary from the third ball to clinch the win and finish 30 not out.

Lanning had been lacking runs in earlier matches but was player of the match for the way in which she measured Australia's run chase.

"Personally it was nice to contribute," Lanning said. "I was disappointed with the last couple of games but really felt at training I flicked the switch a little bit about how I wanted to play. It was nice to be able to execute and contribute to a win. It was a belter of a wicket. It came on really nicely, it didn't turn and any width given was going to be hard to defend."

India's captain Mithali Raj also was her team's top-scorer with 68 and Yastika Bhatia and Harmanpreet Kaur made centuries as India attempted to set a target which was beyond Australia's reach.

But Healy and Rachael Haynes (43) put on 122 for the first wicket to lay the foundation for Australia's run chase and a 103-run partnership for the third wicket between Elysse Perry (28) and Lanning took them closer to victory.

After a rain delay, India pegged back their opponents and dismissed Lanning in the penultimate over.

But with eight runs needed from the final over, and Australia curiously not using star finisher Ash Gardner, Mooney was calm under pressure, completing the highest chase in World Cup history.

- With AP