Smriti Mandhana smashed the second-fastest ODI century by an Indian woman as the hosts handed Australia their heaviest defeat -- a 102-run thrashing -- in the second ODI to level the three-match series 1-1, in Mullanpur, on Wednesday.
Mandhana's onslaught of 117 off only 91 balls, including 14 fours and four sixes powered India to their highest-ever total of 292 in their 50 overs, and despite plenty of dropped catches, the hosts recorded a huge win by bowling Australia out for 190 in 40.5 overs.
Australia's chase never found a momentum as India's sharp bowling and fielding kept them on a tight leash in the first 10 overs from which the visitors managed only 25/2, and it became an uphill task which they could not surmount despite their long batting line-up.
The series deciding third and final ODI will be played in New Delhi on September 20.
India produced a collective bowling effort after setting a target of 293, with Kranti Goud the pick of the attack, returning figures of 9.5-1-28-3. Deepti Sharma was not far behind, striking twice after the 30th over to close the door on Australia.
Renuka Thakur (1/28) dismissed Georgia Voll (0) in the second over to set the tone and Goud accounted for the dangerous Alyssa Healy (9), getting her caught in the deep by Arundhati Reddy in the fifth over.
Ellyse Perry (44) tried to forge vital stands with Beth Mooney (18) and Annabel Sutherland (45), adding 50 and 46 runs respectively for the third and fourth wickets, but the asking rate kept Australia under the pump.
Mooney (18) was dropped on eight by Harleen Deol off Sneh Rana (1/35) in the 15th over but the bowler had the Australian No 4 caught by Reddy in the 17th over.
Radha dropped Sutherland on 13 in the 21st over but in the 25th, the left-arm spinner took a sharp low return catch on her left to get the big wicket of Perry who drove one hard in the air but not far away from the bowler.
Another pivotal moment arrived for India in the 30th over when against the run of play, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur took a fine catch at cover to remove the on-song Sutherland for 45, leaving Australia in deep trouble at 134/5.
Gaud dropped Ashleigh Gardner (17) on a regulation chance in the 33rd over off Radha at long off, but the Australian did not get to prolong her stay in the middle when Radha did not make any error in taking a reverse-cup catch at chest height at deep midwicket off Deepti in the next over.
Gardner's exit was followed by Tahlia McGrath's (16) in the 36th, who was caught brilliantly near the ropes by Reddy off Deepti, as Australia's fight petered out against a rapidly rising asking rate.
It is for the first time in history that the world-dominating Australian side has lost an ODI by 100 or more runs, a defeat which may have some implications on the seven-time World Cup winners with the 13th edition not even two weeks away.
Earlier, asked to bat first, the left-handed Mandhana stole the limelight with her superb knock
Mandhana raced to her century from just 77 balls. She also holds the record for the fastest century by an Indian woman batter, which she hit in 70 deliveries in January this year against Ireland in Rajkot.
Mandhana and young Pratika Rawal (25) gave India a solid start, sharing 70 runs for the opening stand in 11.3 overs.
Rawal looked in good touch before spooning one to Georgia Wareham at cover off Ashleigh Gardner (2/39) in what was a soft dismissal.
Harleen Deol (10) and skipper Hamanpreet Kaur (17) got starts but failed to make it big.
Mandhana, on the other hand, meant business and was ruthless on anything pitched on her pads as more than half of her runs came through square of the wicket on the leg side.
She slog-swept Wareham deep midwicket for a six to bring up her half-century in just 45 balls and then followed it up with a four off the next ball.
Mandhana was particularly ruthless on Wareham, hitting the leg-spinner for two more boundaries and a six in her next over.
Mandhana brought up her majestic century in style, stepping out to hit a length ball from Tahlia McGrath over mid-off for a boundary. It was also the second fastest hundred by an Indian in women's ODI which came off 77 balls.
Her classy knock came to an end in the 33rd over, as she mistimed a McGrath delivery while trying to hit the bowler over the boundary, only to be holed out to Gardner at the midwicket fence.
After Mandhana'a dismissal, the scoring rate dropped a bit but Deepti Sharma (40 off 53) and Richa Ghosh (29 off 33) tried their best to keep up the pace.
The Indians were on course for a 300-plus total but slowed down after Mandhana's dismissal. The Indian lower middle-order failed to rise to the occasion with fast bowler Darcie Brown (3/42) doing the bulk of the damage.
Towards the end, Sneh Rana (24 off 18) played a good hand to take the score close to 300.
India had lost the series opener by eight wickets at the same venue on Sunday.
The third and final ODI will be played in New Delhi on September 20.