Australia are on the board in home bilateral series against India, with Ash Gardner claiming best figures with the ball after Georgie Voll steered the home side's innings with bat in Thursday's second T20.
Gardner took 3-22 from her four overs, including important wickets, during her side's fightback in the field before India fell 19 runs short at Manuka Oval.
Australia posted 5-163 in Canberra after a disappointing start to the series at the SCG earlier this week, where they bundled to all-out for 133 in just 18 overs before rain handed India a 21-run DLS victory.
India were in sight of victory on Thursday at 4-128 with 19 balls remaining before the visitors lost five wickets for as many runs - Gardner claiming two in the same over.
The Muruwari allrounder returned to contributing with the ball after a solid campaign with the bat as Gujarat Giants skipper during the recent Women's Premier League.
She remained at the crease (10 not out) at the completion of Australia's innings with the bulk of the job done by Voll (88 off 57 balls) and Beth Mooney (46 from 39) at the top of the order.
After opening pair Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues passed 50 without loss, newly-appointed captain Sophie Molineux made the breakthrough before No.3 Jemimah Rodrigues (4) mistimed one to mid-on from Gardner's first ball of the ninth over.
Both Rodrigues and keeper-batter Richa Ghosh (19), who Gardner later had stumped, sit in the top 10 of their nation's all-time T20 run scorers and career averages.
Deepti Sharma skied one two balls later to become Gardner's third scalp.
Kim Garth, Annabel Sutherland and Molineux each took two wickets in the win.
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The series heads to Adelaide for the third T20 before 50-over games in Brisbane and Hobart.
Perth hosts the sole Test of the series from March 6.
Australia will be chasing reprisal after India went on to win November's One Day World Cup over South Aftrica having knocked out Australia in the tournament's semi-final stage.
It's unfamiliar territory for the Australians as they enter a new era with no major international tournament silverware in their hands, with New Zealand the current holders of the T20 World Cup trophy.
Molineux will lead the side across all formats following their current home series, with soon-to-depart skipper Alyssa Healy retiring at the end of the series.
Gardner was named permanent vice-captain earlier this month, despite some disappointment in missing out on the top job.
"Obviously when I got the news that I didn't get it, there was certainly disappointment there of course," she told ESPNcricinfo last week.
"It's because I care and I care about this team and you kind of get caught up in 'how can I influence this team in Ashleigh's way'. But then to find out that Soph got it, I was just so excited for her."
Gardner said she's keen to remain in the window for captaincy down the line, though there's other ways to be an influence on the group's success.
"I think for me it's making sure that I've got the outlook of 'if there's a 'C' next to your name, great. But you can still lead in a lot of other ways' and I guess that's something that I've tried to do probably the last couple of years," she added.
