India kept their date with the final after cruising to a 2-1 win in their last pool engagement against New Zealand in the Fed Cup Asia-Oceania zonal qualifying tie in Seoul, Korea, on Friday.
Shikha Uberoi demolished Kairangi Vano 6-1, 6-3 before Sania Mirza breezed past Ellen Barry 6-2, 6-4 in the singles rubbers to see India top Pool 'A' and book their berth in the Group 1 final to be played on Saturday.
India's unbeaten record however was broken as they lost the inconsequential doubles rubber, Ankita Bhambri and Isha Lakhani losing 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 to Leanne Baker and Marina Erakovic.
The Indians will take on in the final Australia who topped Pool 'A' with a 3-0 win over hosts Korea in another match at the Olympic Park tennis centre.
The winner of the final goes through to the World Group 2 play-off in July this year.
Both Vano and Barry could be considered rank outsiders, on paper at least. The former is aged 16 and has a junior combined ranking of 157.
The latter, 17, could be termed a bit more seasoned with a junior combined ranking of 33 and having reached the final qualifying round of a USD 25,000 event back home earlier this year.
This is the first year for both in the women's circuit and were making their Cup debut in Seoul.
Indian captain and coach Enrico Piperno, however, said the Kiwis played a "decent" match against Shikha and Sania.
"It was competitive but we had good results. Both Shikha and Sania encountered decent challenge," Piperno told PTI from Seoul.
"I am happy our girls had a good contest because that will keep them ready for the final" against Australia tomorrow, the captain said.
Piperno said he was banking on Shikha beating Australia's number two Nicole Pratt since the Aussie's doubles combination of Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs would be tough to beat.
Sania would be playing Samantha Stosur in the other singles.
"For us to win tomorrow, we have to win both the singles. Stosur is ranked world number one and Stubbs is (six)," he said.
"So beating them in doubles would be a tall order. Sania has had some good doubles results (on the WTA Tour), so that should help (our confidence)."
Result (Pool 'B'): India beat New Zealand 2-1 (Shikha Uberoi bt Kairangi Vano 6-1, 6-3; Sania Mirza bt Ellen Barry 6-2, 6-4; Leanne Baker and Marina Erakovic bt Ankita Bhambri and Isha Lakhani 4-6, 6-0, 6-1).
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