NOTTINGHAM, England: Reigning champions India warmed up for the Super Eights of the World Twenty20 by crushing hapless Ireland by eight wickets yesterday.
Left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan claimed four for 19, including three wickets in seven balls, to restrict Ireland to 112-8 in a match reduced to 18-overs-a-side due to rain.
Young opener Rohit Sharma then hit an unbeaten 52 off 45 balls as India romped home with 15 balls to spare to end the preliminary league with two successive wins.
Gautam Gamhir chipped in with 37 in a first-wicket stand of 77 with Sharma in front of a sell-out crowd at Trent Bridge.
India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said there were still areas to improve.
"Every game you start from scratch. The bowlers did very well and it's a real positive that they are doing their jobs. We can do better in the field. It wasn't our best day," said Dhoni.
He's bowling in the right areas and he's a very good asset to have." The Irish, surprise qualifiers for the Super Eights, never recovered from Zaheer's triple strike which reduced them to 28-4 by the seventh over.
Andrew White top-scored with 29 as four of the top six batsmen failed to reach double figures.
Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha picked up two for 18 in his four overs.
Both teams had already advanced to the Super Eights after knocking Bangladesh out of the competition.
Ireland took the field without star batsman Niall O'Brien, who was resting a sprained ankle, and burly seamer Trent Johnson also missed out to freshen up for the second round.
"We didn't bat very well and their bowlers were putting it in the right areas," admitted Ireland captain William Porterfield.
"But we nicked a few and posted a fair total. We had a few injuries, but we have no complaints about that." Zaheer said he enjoyed the four-wicket boost as he continued his rehabilitation from a shoulder injury.
"I had not played for four or five weeks so it's great to be back in the wickets," he said. "It's a real confidence-booster. I'm very pleased with my performance.
"The shoulder is coming along well. I feel better day by day and I am improving, I feel 100-percent now." Zaheer had missed most of the Indian Premier League in South Africa and the two practice matches ahead of the World Twenty20 due to the injury in his left shoulder.
India play the West Indies in their first Super Eights match at Lord's tomorrow. South Africa and England are the other teams in the group, from which the top two advance to the semifinals.
