Fans will line the streets from the airport to Independence Square © AFP

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has arranged a grand welcome ceremony for the Sri Lankan team on their arrival from the Caribbean after their highly successful World Cup campaign. This arrangement has been made irrespective of the outcome of the final in Barbados on April 28 where Sri Lanka meet Australia.

The team will be greeted at the Bandaranaike International Airport by cricket board officials and VIPs, which includes government ministers. They will be escorted on a motorcade from the airport to Independence Square where the players will be honoured.

Samantha Algama, the team media manager, said the players will be garlanded on their arrival at the VIP lounge by Duleep Mendis, the chief executive of SLC. Mendis was the team manager during the 1996 World Cup victory.

"We are requesting all cricket and sports fans to line the streets from the airport to Independence Square to greet our cricketers," said Algama. "The event will be telecast live by local television and radio stations."