Defending champions India, with a century from opener Shikhar Dhawan, have maintained their 100 per cent record in this year’s cricket World Cup, cruising to an eight-wicket win over Ireland in Hamilton.

The Irish, having won the toss on Tuesday and elected to bat, got to 259 before being bowled out with an over to go.

The target they set in good batting conditions at Seddon Park appeared below par. And so it proved.

• English cricket in turmoil after World Cup disaster
• Cowan announces retirement from cricket

Dhawan and fellow opener Rohit Sharma set the foundation for victory with a 174-run partnership.

Both had an early life, with medium-pacer John Mooney the unlucky bowler each time.

Rohit offered a sharp caught-and-bowled chance, before Dhawan cut to backward square but skipper William Porterfield couldn’t hold on in a diving effort.

The second let-off, at 0-24 in the seventh over, was the signal for Dhawan and Rohit to put the foot down.

Rohit got to 64 before chopping on to his stumps.

Dhawan, having reached exactly 100, hitting 11 fours and five sixes on the way, was caught off a leading edge.

It was Dhawan’s second ton of the tournament, after his ODI career-high 137 against South Africa in Melbourne.

Seamer Stuart Thompson, whose first over in his World Cup debut cost 18 runs, ended up with both wickets.

Virat Kohli (44) and Ajinkya Rahane (33) carried India to 2-260 in the 37th over.

In Ireland’s innings, Porterfield and Niall O’Brien notched half-centuries.

But the Irish failed to take full advantage of an excellent start, losing their last seven wickets for 53 runs.

Porterfield and fellow opener Paul Stirling scored at a run a ball over the first 15 overs.

However, the introduction of a four-pronged spin attack slowed Ireland’s progress.

Ravichandran Ashwin was the most economical of the quartet, ending with 2-38 from his 10 overs.

Ashwin also made the first breakthrough with the score at 89, inducing a false shot from Stirling, who was caught at long-off for 42.

From 2-92, Porterfield and O’Brien began to kick-start the flow of runs.

After Porterfield went for 67, O’Brien and Andy Balbirnie kept the momentum going.

But Balbirnie’s departure for 24 precipitated a run of dismissals, including that of O’Brien, caught for 75 off paceman Mohammed Shami, who ended with 3-41.

Victory ensured India, who have one match to go against Zimbabwe in Auckland on Saturday, will top Pool B and can almost certainly expect to play Bangladesh at the MCG on March 19.

The lopsided result is a blow to Ireland’s net run rate, which could be crucial to their quarter-final hopes with a showdown clash with Pakistan looming in Adelaide for their final group stage match.

With the West Indies favoured to account for the UAE in their final pool match, the loser of the Pakistan-Ireland clash will face a NRR countback against the Caribbean team to determine the fourth spot in Pool B, with a quarter-final against New Zealand in Wellington the prize.