Harmanpreet Kaur's dismissal against Australia in a knockout match still threatens to reopen old wounds for Indian cricket fans.

Not anymore maybe, since they now have flipped the narrative. But, in that tricky part of the leftover chase in the semifinal of a home World Cup against the unbeaten defending champions, India still needed 113 off 88 deliveries at the DY Patil Stadium on Thursday. They had an exhausted but well-set Jemimah Rodrigues in the middle, and a host of in-form all-rounders to follow. But at that all-too-familiar hurdle, where India's dreams had come undone repeatedly, Rodrigues & Co. were fighting not just scoreboard pressure but their own history.

"I wanted to go in and play with a positive mindset no matter what," said Deepti Sharma, the first of the allrounders troika to help take India to the finish line alongside Rodrigues. "We needed about 7 or 8 runs per over then. My role in that scenario - with Jemi set at the other end - I just wanted to bring down that difference between the runs required and the deliveries left. That was the mindset I went in with."

Deepti (24 off 17) moved at a run-a-ball initially and then took those calculated risks at the start of the overs throughout her brief stay to ease pressure early on. The heave over midwicket off Annabel Sutherland, Australia's best in slog overs; the cheeky dab to keep the strike with a single off the final ball, and then lofting Alana King, their most successful spinner, straight down the ground - all allowed Rodrigues some breathing space.

Then came Richa Ghosh with India needing 75 off the last nine overs. She wasted little time before depositing Megan Schutt's clever slower-one cleanly into the sightscreen down the ground. Then came the fireworks against Ash Gardner, the highlight of which was a 83-metre six in the same cow-corner region where the Australian herself deposited a few in a counterattack earlier in the day. Now she watched in frustration, down on her haunches as the ball sailed over.

Sutherland struck with a short ball, and Australia roared back. India had only Amanjot Kaur left in the tank in terms of a proper batter before their under-tested tail would be exposed.

The collapse against England in the round stages was still fresh. Rodrigues inexplicably had been benched there and was powerless, but Amanjot too had felt the ask overwhelming. In a chase of 289, she had seen set Smriti Mandhana fall at 234/4 to a rash shot, Ghosh at 256/5 in the 46th over and Deepti an over later on 262/6. She watched an equation of 27 off 18 come down to 15 off the final over and eventually a four-run loss - their third on the trot mounting doubts, questions, criticism and pressure all at once.

Between arriving at the crease, a hurried chat with the non-striker, multiple fist-bumps, and a first-hand feel of the conditions, there aren't a lot of deliveries to waste at death before a choice must be made. To steady the ship or go on the offensive? Amanjot met Rodrigues and checked just that on arrival - should I charge at the bowlers or will you? - when the ask was 29 off 24 deliveries.

Rodrigues' response came with a calm assurance. "She said, we are both good runners. Hum nikaal lenge (we get the team over the line)" Amanjot revealed of the mid-pitch conversation after playing her part in the world record chase. "She advised, 'you see the ball, the track is nice, and we should do it.' One ball in and I understood exactly what she meant - it was indeed a great surface. She said we should ideally finish it with one over to spare, and we did."

Sophie Molineux returned into the attack with a short ball and no protection in the deep on the offside - enough cue for Rodrigues to pounce and cut the gap between backward point and cover. Against Sutherland, a teammate from Delhi Capitals, she brought out a premeditated scoop over the frustrated 'keeper. A wide delivery later, she slashed one past backward point for four more - making it an expensive 15-run over.

With just eight left to get in final-two, Amanjot decided it's her time to deliver on what they visualised - a penultimate-over finish. She took just three balls - two boundaries and a brace in between - to send the Australians packing. "It was a special cameo, but Jemi deserves more credit for this. She came out to bat in the second over itself. To carry the bat through, it was a tough ask in this heat and humidity," she said.

"When Richa fell, the match could have gone either way. We didn't want that momentum to swing their way." Cognisant of Rodrigues' emotions, Amanjot didn't bring up her regrets from the England game but it was at the back of her mind. "I had the chance against England but I could not finish it there. I felt I took it too deep then - 12 [15] off the final over can be a bit much, and I didn't want a repeat.

"We decided we'll target one particular bowler. We calculated well in the middle. That [15-run] over off Sutherland was game-changing at the backend."

The confidence was brimming, and not just because they had pulled off the unthinkable. The self-belief spilled in the form of a cheeky challenge when she said in jest, "to bring on a 400 chase next" - of course without tinkering with the batting-friendly conditions at the ground that's been home for two weeks now. Even so, she knows this win is now history and, come Sunday, they "start from zero" again.

Her personal preference for a celebration was only going to be a good night's sleep, but how could Amanjot deliver a win and leave without the signature mic-drop moment?

"Aussies ko harane mein toh mazza hi alag hai [there's a whole different kind of thrill in beating the Aussies]."