India were served well by their top order batters with each of them hitting their stride to make significant contributions, even as the middle order players did not get going.
Alyssa Healy and other Aussie batters took the attack to India's pacers -- Kranti Gaud and Amanjot Kaur -- exposing the imprudence of their five-bowler strategy.
In the spin department, while seasoned campaigner Deepti Sharma is an automatic choice, it remains to be seen whether India go with both Radha Yadav and Sneh Rana or opt for either one of them.
Mandhana dropped one spot to second after totalling 115 runs across the three matches against England.
While Virat Kohli and K L Rahul opted for Dubai to ring in the New Year, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammed Shami and Smriti Mandhana opted for the mountains.
'Funny enough, I'm not one for records, but when you mention Meg Lanning, I'm glad I'm above that one. As long as we are winning the games, then I'm all good.'
Earlier, after incessant rain interrupted the exciting contest, South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and opted to field against the hosts India.
'This Indian team is eager to thrive in the challenging conditions and ready to write a glorious chapter in the rich history of Indian cricket, says India captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
India defeated Pakistan by 88 runs in their Women's World Cup match in Colombo on Sunday.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced that the terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack have been identified and will soon face consequences. He highlighted the progress in the region, including development projects and improved security, since the removal of Article 370.
The Delhi High Court has set aside a Central Information Commission (CIC) order that directed the disclosure of information related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bachelor's degree.
Meanwhile, England fast bowler Lauren Bell moved up two places to reach fourth in the rankings for bowlers after her three-wicket haul in the first T20I against India.
Former wicketkeeper Saba Karim believes the recent Asia Cup row will have a cascading effect on India's ICC Women's World Cup match against Pakistan in Colombo, but said Harmanpreet Kaur's side will not be overly concerned about "outside noise" as the gulf between the two sides is too vast.
Mandhana happy to score a ton in a format that 'is not a natural format for me.'
The next two Indian batters in the list after Mandhana are Jemimah Rodrigues and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who are placed 14th and 15th respectively.
India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, are coming into the showpiece event on the back of a hard-fought ODI series loss to Australia, where opener Smriti Mandhana slammed two back-to-back centuries and the spinners, led by Deepti Sharma, giving a good account of themselves.
England beat India by eight wickets in rain-affected 2nd women''s ODI to level series 1-1
Yuvraj, Mithali give pointers for Indian women's at the Trophy unveiling ceremony in Mumbai on Monday. The ICC Women's World Cup commences on September 30.
Star India batter Smriti Mandhana on Saturday admitted that her maiden T20 International hundred in the first match against England "took a long time coming" but was relieved to achieve the feat as she "had a habit of getting out".
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.
India took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, with the final game scheduled to be played in Birmingham on Saturday.
Gandhi, a former Congress president, represented Amethi in Parliament from 2002 till 2019.
Smriti Mandhana's elegant maiden ton leads India to 97-run win over England in 1st T20I
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).
Smriti Irani's mother is Bengali so it wasn't surprising to see the minister perform the dhunuchi naach at a Durga Puja pandal on New Delhi's Pandara Road on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
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'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.
India vice-captain Mandhana to skip WBBL for second year in row
India's batting faltered at the death as England held their nerves to pull off a narrow five-run win in a thrilling third women's T20 International on Friday.
Aamir Khan's starry magic, Akshay Kumar's buffoonery and more on OTT this week.
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.
Shafali returns to T20 side for England tour, fit-again Yastika also comes back
West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran was named the 'Leading T20 Player in the World'.
Pakistan women's cricket team captain Fatima Sana draws inspiration from India's World Cup-winning skipper MS Dhoni
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.
Let there be no doubt that Modi in these 24 years so far has reshaped politics and governance considerably, if not completely, asserts Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author, Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times.
With challenges such as raising the legal age of marriage for women, combating malnutrition among women and children, and addressing women's safety issues, the new ministers face a formidable agenda.
Mandhana moves up to 6th, Harmapreet drops to 8th in ICC women's ODI rankings
Mandhana joined the Southern Brave, meanwhile, the Birmingham Phoenix roped in Richa for the forthcoming Women's Hundred 2024.
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.
