Today's thumping success also paved India's way to the summit clash against The West Indies, reducing tomorrow's encounter against them to a dress rehearsal for the final.

Spurred by the batsmen's heroics, the bowlers, spearheaded by Venkatesh Prasad and Debasis Mohanty, reduced the match to a no-contest as India emerged runaway victors by 115 runs.

A capacity crowd of nearly 3,500, comprising mostly of Indian expatriates packing the makeshift tents, were rewarded for their patience as the Indians rained 13 fours and 11 sixes amidst chants of Ganpatibappa morya and blaring pressure horns.

The Indian batsmen appeared intent on rewarding the spectators for the encouragement as 250 Singapore dollars were on offer to any of the spectators who pouched a six.

After rain in the morning had reduced the encounter to a 30-over affair, the Indian skipper launched himself in characteristic fashion. A smashing boundary through point off medium-pacer Neil Johnson set the tone of his innings, and it was followed by a Mpumelelo Mbangwa mauling. Two fierce pulls went for a six and a four before he concluded the over by thudding a straight drive into the advertisement boards.

Though Tendulkar lost two of his reliable partners Saurav Ganguly (6) and Rahul Dravid (12) early, he found an able ally in his deputy, Jadeja. From then on it was a Jadeja jamboree all the way till he pulled a calf muscle and was forced to retire. Such was Jadeja's dominance that Tendulkar was left playing second fiddle, a rare instance when the master was confined to the backseat.

Jadeja simply waded into the rival attack that seemed to have left behind the ammo in their hotel rooms. Six sixes and two boundaries in his 61-ball innings of 88 speak volumes of Jadeja's fondness for the environment outside the arena. He found a special liking to the off-spin of Andy Whittal and Craig Evans' medium-pace, tonking two sixes and a boundary each of the duo.

Interestingly, Jadeja, who had walked with his captain on a rollicking 30, almost overtook the latter once he completed his 50 off 40 balls. However, with the innings entering the conclusive phase, Tendulkar took charge by hoisting Grant Flower for two sixes in succession. Jadeja too followed suit, targeting the sightscreen as the bowler went for 20 runs in the only over he bowled.

Tendulkar parted company trying to force the pace but by then the Indian score had attained prosperous proportions. Sunil Joshi signed off the innings in exemplary fashion by hoisting Evans for two sixes in the concluding over.

While Tendulkar, whoshowed no signs of an ailing back was adjudged man of the match, Jadeja left with a sore calf mauscle and $500 for notching the fastest fifty of the match.

More trouble awaited Zimbabwe even before they began the innings. The match referee docked them an over for slowing the over-rate which left them chasing the massive target of 245 in 29 overs. Though opener Johnson had begun in earnest fashion by greeting Mohanty with a massive six over long on, the innings lost way once the Indian opening bowlers found their rhythm.

Reduced to 4-19, Zimbabwe lived on borrowed time till the end, because of the doughty Andrew Flower, who remained unconquered on a valiant 63 off 69 balls. The only highlight from Zimbabwe's point of view was their superb ground fielding. Undeterred by the slippery conditions, they drew rounds of applause for their diving stops.

SCOREBOARD

INDIA

S Ganguly c & b Johnson 6
S Tendulkar c Carlisle b Whittal 85
R Dravid c Johnson b Blignaut 12
A Jadeja retired hurt 88
AKhurasiya c A Flower b Blignaut 5
Robin Singh c Whittal b Evans 8
N Chopra c Blignaut b Johnson 4
S Joshi not out 16
A Kumble not out 0
Extras (5lb, 2nb, 14w) 21
Total (for six wickets in 30 overs) 245
Fall of wickets: 1-38 (4.3 overs, Ganguly), 2-60 (7.5, Dravid), 3-203 (24.4, Tendulkar), 4-216 (26.5, Khurasiya), 5-222 (27.5, Chopra), 6-233 (29.4, Robin)
Bowling: Johnson 6-0-39-2 (1nb, 8w), Mbangwa 6-0-54-0 (1nb, 3w), Blignaut 6-0-35-2, Whittal 6-0-42-1, Evans 5-0-50-1, G Flower 1-0-20-0

ZIMBABWE

N Johnson c Ganguly b Prasad 8
G Flower c Dravid b Mohanty 5
C Wishart b Mohanty 0
A Campbell c sub (Shukla) b Kumble 27
M Goodwin c Joshi b Mohanty 3
A Flower not out 63
Carlisle c Chopra b Joshi 4
C Evans c Dravid b Joshi 2
Blignaut b Kumble 0
A Whittal not out 11
Extras (b1, 3lb, 1nb, 2w) 7
Total (for 8 wickets in 29 overs) 130
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (2 overs, G Flower) 2-15 (2.2, Johnson), 3-15 (3.1 Wishart),4-19 (5.3, Goodwin), 5-66 (15.4, Campbell), 6-87 (19.5, Carlisle), 7-92 (21.3, Evans), 8-93 (22.4, Blignaut)
Bowling: Prasad 5-2-17-1, Mohanty 6-0-28-3 (1w), Chopra 6-0-27-0, Kumble 6-0-30-2, Joshi 5-1-16-2, Robin 1-0-8-0 (1nb).

RESULT: India won the match by 115 runs

MAN OF THE MATCH: Sachin Tendulkar

NB: Zimbabwe penalised one over for slow over rate