Australia qualified for the seventh consecutive Women's Twenty20 World Cup final after pipping India by five runs in the first semi-final in Cape Town Thursday.
The Aussies, who have only lost once in their last 20 T20 internationals, will face the winner of Friday's second semi-final between hosts South Africa and England in Sunday's grand finale.
Despite the valiant efforts of captain Harmanpreet Kaur (52 off 34) and Jemimah Rodrigues (43 off 24), India were restricted to 167/8 in their 20 overs.
The Aussies put in a disciplined bowling and fielding display to hold India, with player of the match Ashleigh Gardner and Darcie Brown bagging two wickets each.
Beth Mooney earlier made a half-century as Australia set India a challenging target of 173.
Mooney made 54 in a total of 172 for four after Australian captain Meg Lanning won the toss and decided to bat.
Lanning scored 49 not out, including two sixes off Renuka Thakur in the last over.
There were other useful contributions from Alyssa Healy, who made 25 in an opening partnership of 52 with Mooney, and Gardner, who hammered 31 off 18 balls.
Mooney was dropped by Shafali Verma at long-on when she had 34 and Lanning survived a stumping chance to Richa Ghosh off late replacement Sneh Rana when she had nine.
India were hit by the withdrawal from the tournament of seam bowler Pooja Vastrakar because of illness.
India obtained permission to bring off-spinning all-rounder Rana, a travelling reserve, into the squad and she was drafted straight into the starting team.
1ST SEMI-FINAL
Australia 172/4 (Mooney 54, Lanning 49*, Gardner 31, Shikha 2/32) beat India 167/8 (Kaur 52, Rodrigues 43, Brown 2/18, Gardner 2/37) by five runs
