Malhotra said India will be strong contenders to land the title in the showpiece, citing the right blend of youth and experience in the Harmanpreet Kaur-led squad.
Mandhana's sixth ODI century (117, 127 balls , 12x4s, 1x6) formed the fulcrum of India's competitive 265 for eight on a sluggish Chinnaswamy pitch.
Stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana hailed the team's bowling and fielding as India bounced back from a "tough" phase to beat New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Jasprit Bumrah added another feather to his hat when he was on Tuesday named the 'ICC Men's Player of the Month for June'.
Mandhana said each tournament since the last few months has been a step towards preparation for the World T20 scheduled to be held in Bangladesh later this year.
Smriti Mandhana dropped a rung to fourth spot, while skipper Harmanpreet Kaur jumped two places to ninth position in the ICC Women's ODI batting rankings.
India's recent run of victories has bolstered confidence but the women's selection panel, headed by Neetu David, will face some tricky questions on the inclusion of Shafali Verma and pacer Renuka Thakur when it meets in Mumbai on Tuesday to pick the squad for the ODI World Cup.
Pakistan women's cricket team captain Fatima Sana draws inspiration from India's World Cup-winning skipper MS Dhoni
India women will be keen to internalise the conditions and character of venues in England ahead of next year's World Cup during the five-match T20I series against the hosts, beginning with the opening game on Saturday.
Vastarkar was the big mover up the ODI charts for all-rounders, with the 24-year-old gaining four places to improve to 18th.
India opener Shafali Verma said her no-holds-barred approach goes well with Smriti Mandhana's elegance.
Stylish opener Smriti Mandhana inched closer to reclaiming the world number one spot in the ICC Women's ODI batting rankings
Shafali Verma smashed 176 runs at a strike rate of 158.56 during the T20I series against England to jump four spots to ninth place with 655 points.
India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has been named the icon player for the Ratnagiri Jets, who will compete in the inaugural edition of the Women's Maharashtra Premier League (WMPL).
RCB's spirited women's team has managed to achieve what their men's team could not do over 16 years.
RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana hoped that veteran England pacer Kate Cross could complement Renuka Singh.
An unbeaten half-century by Deepti Sharma guided India to a four-wicket win over England in the first Women's ODI in Southampton on Wednesday.
The Capitals made a challenging 194 for five as Shafali Varma mustered a 31-ball 50 after they were asked to bat first.
Shafali returns to T20 side for England tour, fit-again Yastika also comes back
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur made a 48-ball 42 before Richa Ghosh sealed the chase with a six off Tumi Sekhukhune in the 41st over. India won with 56 balls to spare.
A historic maiden women's T20 series victory over England already assured, India failed to end the series on a high, losing the inconsequential fifth and final match by five wickets in a last-ball thriller, in Birmingham, on Saturday.
A clinical India outclassed Sri Lanka by nine wickets in the rain-hit opening ODI of the women's tri-nation series in Colombo, on Sunday.
Both Mandhana and Kohli wear No. 18 jerseys and the left-handed batter said drawing comparison between the two based on that was unwarranted.
India women's team captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Sunday expressed her concerns about her pacers' frequent tryst with injuries and said the support staff is looking to address it before the ODI World Cup comes calling.
Harmanpreet, Shafali move up to tied 11th, Mandhana maintains 5th position
Women's cricket team gets rousing welcome at India House in London
India eye maiden women's T20I series win over England; hosts to miss injured skipper Brunt
India defeated South Africa by 23 runs in a women's Tri-Nation ODI series match, setting up a title clash with Sri Lanka.
IMAGES from the Women's Premier League match played between Gujarat Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore on Tuesday
Sneha Rana's maiden five-for, Rawal's excellent fifty power India to 15 run-win over South Africa
Batting first, RCB rode on skipper Smriti Mandhana's 37-ball 53 and useful contributions from Ellyse Perry (49 off 38 balls), Richa Ghosh (36 off 22) and Georgia Wareham (31 off 10) to post a commanding 199 for three.
India's women's team will hope to produce a strong all-round effort against a tricky Sri Lanka and win the ODI tri-series final in Colombo on Sunday.
UP Warriorz, facing elimination in the Women's Premier League, will aim to spoil Royal Challengers Bangalore's playoff hopes in a crucial encounter on Saturday.
India women's team captain Harmanpreet Kaur, her deputy Smriti Mandhana and all-rounder Deepti Sharma were retained in Grade A, the highest category of central contracts offered by BCCI.
India vice-captain Mandhana to skip WBBL for second year in row
Nilakshika Silva's blistering 33-ball 56 powered Sri Lanka to a thrilling three-wicket victory over India in the women's Tri-series, ending a seven-year losing streak against their rivals.
India's Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma have retained their third positions in the latest ICC Women's T20I batter and bowlers' rankings respectively, released on Tuesday.
Engaging fifties by skipper Smriti Mandhana and star all-rounder Elysse Perry took Royal Challengers Bangalore to a formidable 198 for three against UP Warriorz in their Women's Premier League match in Bengaluru on Monday.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's sturdy middle-order, in-form skipper Smriti Mandhana and a partisan home crowd will be the major challenges UP Warriorz will have to contend with when the two teams clash in the Women's Premier League match in Bengaluru on Monday.
The all-star team announced by the ICC features four players from Sri Lanka, three each from Pakistan and Afghanistan and one from the West Indies.
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