Sleepless India fans ready for World Cup title clash

AHMEDABAD: Thousands of sleepless flag-waving fans sporting blue India jerseys clogged roads outside the world's biggest cricket stadium early on Sunday (Nov 19), too excited to sleep as excitement built ahead of the World Cup final.

Drivers honked at fans blocking roads, shouting slogans and bargaining with roadside hawkers hours before the Sunday afternoon finale between the cricket-crazy hosts and the game's traditional powerhouse Australia.

The blockbuster conclusion of cricket's showpiece tournament, with 48 matches over 46 days between 10 teams at 10 venues, wraps up Sunday at the grand 132,000-seat arena named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India's western city of Ahmedabad.

With fans attending the game from distant parts of India and across the world, the city is packed, with some hotels charging 10 times regular rates.

Media reports said that many desperate fans had even approached some local religious institutions to stay overnight at their subsidised dormitories for devout pilgrims before the game.

Others lit candles, offering prayers for the success of their beloved team.

"This feels like a big Hindu festival ... with families and friends out on the roads in a celebratory mood," said Suresh Raval, 34, a local resident outside the stadium.

Confident that India, who are still unbeaten in the tournament, would trounce Australia, Raval said that he and his friend were "finding it hard to sleep" and felt "really lucky to get two tickets for the game".

While he refused to reveal what he'd paid for the two "priceless tickets", many fans have reportedly paid 10 to 20 times the cheapest ticket's listed price to attend the title clash.

"All these expenses - from flights to hotels to the stadium tickets - wouldn't pinch a