A resurgent India has posted a five-wicket win to avert a whitewash to Australia in the women's ODI series.

The visitors were playing for valuable ICC points at Bellerive Oval on Sunday, after Australia had secured the three-match series with two previous wins.

In reply to Australia's 7 for 231, India came out blasting and reached 5 for 234 with three overs to spare.

Skipper Mithali Raj top-scored with 89 after being handed an early lifeline.

She came to the middle as Aussie keeper Alyssa Healy went off with a hamstring complaint.

Before the captain could score, she was found out of her crease during a fumbled stumping by stand-in keeper Alex Blackwell.

Mithali went on to make an 82-ball half-century and, a short time later on 69, was again let off when Ellyse Perry dropped a catch at cover.

She was finally run-out when Kristen Beams hit the stumps from deep mid-wicket.

Opener Smriti Mandhana added a valuable 55 for India before being bowled by Kristen Beams (1 for 21).

Perry with 2 for 50 and Holly Ferling (1 for 41) were the other wicket-takers.

Healy did not return to the ground and will undergo medical assessment on Monday, while Megan Schutt also left mid-match with knee soreness.

Earlier on Sunday, Blackwell top-scored with 60 for the Southern Stars after they won the toss and chose to bat first.

Perry finished on 50.

But the star performer of the Australian innings was Indian fast bowler Shikha Pandey who captured 3 for 50.

She also took a mid-wicket catch to dismiss Healy for 21 and, on the next delivery, secured the diamond-duck run-out of replacement batter Schutt by firing the ball at the stumps.

Australia heads to New Zealand later in February for three ODIs and three Twenty20 matches against the Kiwis.

AAP