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Superstar allrounder Ellyse Perry has injured her right hamstring as Australia reach the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals with a four-run win against New Zealand.

Australia's Twenty20 World Cup hopes remain alive after holding off New Zealand by four runs in a thrilling trans-Tasman battle to secure a semi-final spot.

But the victory looks to have come at a major cost, with a shattered Ellyse Perry hobbling off Melbourne's Junction Oval with a right-hamstring injury.

Australia's superstar allrounder was already under an injury cloud in the lead-up to Monday's do-or-die game after hurting her hip against Bangladesh last Thursday.

She passed a pre-game fitness test, taking her place in the team to hit a vital 21 before disaster struck during New Zealand's chase of Australia's 5-155.

The 29-year-old delivered a diving throw but immediately winced in pain as she got up, casting extreme doubt on her availability for the rest of Australia's shot at a fifth World Cup title.

Perry's injury soured an otherwise impressive performance, with Beth Mooney's 60 powering Australia to a formidable total after being sent into bat by Kiwi skipper Sophie Devine.

The White Ferns fell agonisingly short at 7-151. Had they won it would have been the fourth-highest successful run chase in women's T20 World Cup history.

"I thought today's performance was the best of the tournament so far. We can still get better but that's how we want to play our cricket," Australia captain Meg Lanning said.

The Kiwis looked threatening at times with the bat and were on pace with Australia's score after the powerplay.

Even as wickets fell regularly, solid contributions from Devine (31), Maddy Green (28) and Katey Martin (37 not out) kept the White Ferns in the game.

But the total proved to be just too much, as young legspinner Georgia Wareham (3-17) and opening bowler Megan Schutt (3-28) tied down the New Zealanders with brilliant spells.

Needing an impossible 10 runs to tie from the final ball, the White Ferns finished off with a six.

"You probably look back at every single ball of that game and find different things (that went wrong). Probably near the end we leaked a few too many runs," Devine said.

Earlier, Mooney - who smashed an unbeaten 81 against Bangladesh in her previous innings - was forced to dig deep after opening partner Alyssa Healy tried one big shot too many and was caught at midwicket for nine.

Lanning (21) and Ashleigh Gardner (20) were not able to capitalise on their promising starts.

Australia join unbeaten India as semi-finalists from Group A. Lanning's team will face South Africa or England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday, with the final scheduled for Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.