In the first match of the Coca Cola Singapore Challenge West Indies comprehensively beat Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe's bad run continued as they were beaten handsomely by India. The Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell won the toss and put India in to bat on a wicket that looked like it might have some moisture in it. The start of play was delayed due to overnight rains, and the match was reduced to 30 overs a side.

Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly came out in an aggressive frame of mind and attacked the bowling from the word go. Tendulkar was especially majestic as he pulled and drove with awesome power. Tendulkar was especially severe on Pommie Mbangwa. Mbangwa dropped the ball short and Tendulkar got quickly into position on his back foot and pulled the ball for six. Two balls later Mbangwa dropped it short again and this time Tendulkar pulled him for a one bounce four. Mbangwa then over compensated and pitched the ball up to Tendulkar. Off the front foot Tendulkar punched the ball to the long-off boundary. While Tendulkar was going strong, Ganguly played indifferently and was caught and bowled by Johnson off the leading edge.

Rahul Dravid, coming off a disappointing run in the Aiwa Cup was the next man in. Tendulkar was in a menacing mood, attacking the bowling on every possible occasion. Tendulkar came down the wicket and flat-batted Blignaut over his head for a one bounce boundary. Blignaut then pulled one back, and had Rahul Dravid caught at short fine-leg. Dravid's dismal run continued, as he spooned a harmless short ball straight down Johnson's throat.

Jadeja came in at the fall of Dravid's wicket and built a steady partnership with Tendulkar. Both batsmen ran hard and pressurised the Zimbabwe fielders. Whittall tossed the ball up, tempting Jadeja to go for a big shot. Jadeja accepted the invitation gratefully and deposited the ball over the square-leg boundary. Tendulkar brought up his fifty off the 16th over, off just 50 balls. Jadeja kept up his assault on the Zimbabweans and hit cleanly through the line to pick up his second six. This time over long-on, off the bowling of Craig Evans.

There was a sense of urgency in the approach of the Indians. Both Jadeja and Tendulkar played extremely positively, not wasting any opportunities to score. Tendulkar began to go after the bowling of Grant Flower, hitting him for two consecutive sixes to begin the 22nd over. Tendulkar came down the wicket and bludgeoned the ball, first over long off and then over long-on. Jadeja then got in to the act and stroked the ball effortlessly over long-off. Flower's solitary over cost him 20 runs.

Tendulkar fell short of the hundred mark, slamming a full-toss off Whittal straight down square-leg's throat. Tendulkar had made 85 off 71 balls. Amay Khurasiya came in at the fall of Tendulkar's wicket. A new-comer to international cricket, Khurasiya did not have the same fluency that Tendulkar and Jadeja established earlier. To slow down things further, Jadeja hit himself on the leg with his bat while following through. Jadeja requested a runner and was granted one in the 26th over.

Blignaut came on to bowl the 27th over and Jadeja inside edged the first ball to fine-leg.When he was on 88 Jadeja was forced to retire, unable to take the pain any longer. Jadeja's 88 came off just 61 balls.

Robin Singh came in to join Khurasiya when Jadeja retired. Khurasiya played a few wild swipes before he snicked one to the wicketkeeper and departed after making just 5 runs. Nikhil Chopra came in at the fall of Khurasiya's wicket. Instead of looking to rotate the strike to Robin Singh, Chopra attempted some adventurous strokes and departed without adding anything significant to the Indian total. Robin Singh made 8 off 10 balls before he was caught in the outfield trying to accelerate the scoring. Sunil Joshi came in and struck two consecutive clean sixes to end the innings. In their allotted 30 overs India had made 245 for 6.

Zimbabwe came out to bat requiring 246 for victory off 29 overs. Prasad's first over went for 5 runs and Zimbabwe were well on their way. Zimbabwe's World Cup Neil Johnson got off to an aggressive start, slamming Mohanty for six off his very first ball. After being clubbed for six by Johnson, Mohanty got sweet revenge when he had Grant Flower caught behind. Grant Flower gave Mohanty the charge and could only manage a thin outside edge.

Neil Johnson departed soon after, edging a ball off Prasad straight to Ganguly at slip. Johnson's wicket was a big one for India. Johnson had made 8 off 5 balls including one huge six.

Mohanty had his second scalp when Wishart came down the wicket and dragged the ball back onto his stumps. Wishart was playing his first ball of the tournament and perhaps should have taken more time to get his eye in. Mohanty was pumped up, and dismissing Wishart for a duck seemed to get him more excited.

Campbell and Goodwin came together at the fall of the third wicket and looked to stabilise the innings. Mohanty swung the ball excessively, and picked up his third wicket as Goodwin belted a ball straight to Sunil Joshi at mid-off. Goodwin, Zimbabwe's most exciting batsman in the recent past looked visibly upset at himself as we trudged off the ground. At this stage Zimbabwe were reeling at 19 for 4.

From this stage on, there was very little the Zimbabweans could do. With every passing over, the required run rate mounted and it was impossible to accelerate without having wickets in hand. While Campbell and Flower did their best to lend some respectability to the innings, they were fighting a lost cause.

In an attempt to accelerate the scoring rate Campbell lofted Kumble into the outfield. Unfortunately for him and Zimbabwe he only managed to find the fielder at long-on. Shukla accepted the simple catch and the Zimbabwe fight looked all but over at 67 for 5. Campbell had made 27 off 44 balls. After Campbell departed, Flower took up the fight while wickets fell around him.

Carlisle, Evans and Blignaut could not reach two figures and Zimbabwe lost their way. Mohanty was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 3 for 28.

The game ground on to a tame loss for Zimbabwe. At the end of their allotted 29 overs Zimbabwe were at 130 for 8 and India had completed a comprehensive victory by 115 runs. Sachin Tendulkar was named the man of the match for his innings of 85 off 72 balls.