Fan frenzy peaked in India on Friday after their team secured a spot in the T20 World Cup final with a decisive victory over England, bringing the nation close to its first major cricket title in over a decade.

Despite cricket's immense popularity in India and the country's prominence in the T20 format through the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL), their sole T20 World Cup triumph occurred 17 years ago. India's last major silverware was the Champions Trophy in 2013, and they have faced several heartbreaks since then, including a near miss at the 50-over World Cup at home last year, where they lost to Australia in the final, disappointing 1.4 billion Indians.

On the eve of the final against South Africa in Barbados, Indian fans dared to dream. "The excitement has reached its peak," said Pritam Kumar Sinha, an accountant and avid cricket fan from Patna. "It has been a while since India won any world title. If India can win on Saturday, it will be a fitting finale for Rahul Dravid, the outgoing coach," the 58-year-old told AFP.

In New Delhi, college student Varsha Sinha expressed her anticipation, saying she could hardly wait for the final to start. "We have been undefeated in the tournament so far and I am praying the trend continues," said the 20-year-old, who rearranged her weekend plans to watch the match on TV.

India secured their place in the final by defeating defending champions England by 68 runs in a rain-affected semi-final. Skipper Rohit Sharma set the tone with a top score of 57 in India's total of 171-7, marking his third fifty of the tournament and second consecutive half-century following his explosive 92 against Australia. Left-arm spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel each took three wickets, limiting England to 103 all out.

Nitin Gadkari, India's minister for road transport and highways, praised the team's "stellar" performance in Guyana. "Best of luck for the final match -- bring home the trophy! Your determination and skill are truly inspiring. Let's make history," he posted on social media.

Fans flooded social media with messages of support for their team. "Well played Team India. Let's celebrate the victory and all the best for the finale," one user posted on X (formerly Twitter). The IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore added, "Climbing that one last step often takes the most courage and it is the most difficult. But we know Team India is not going to settle for anything lesser."

Indian fans are eagerly awaiting the final, hoping their team can end the long wait for a major international title.