Cricket World Cup: 'Welcome home' planned for Black Caps

The New Zealand Black Caps during the national anthems before the grand final. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The Black Caps will touch down in New Zealand tomorrow afternoon after making it to Melbourne for the Cricket World Cup final.

The team leave Australia tomorrow morning and their plane is scheduled to land in Auckland at 1.45pm.

In downtown Auckland, a public "welcome home" event was planned for the cricketers tomorrow evening at 6pm.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) decided to hold the event to recognise the Black Caps' achievement in making their first ever final.

The Cloud on Auckland's Queens Wharf will host the Black Caps from 6pm.

The waterfront venue will be open to the public from 4pm.

From 6.30pm, the more formal part of the celebration will get underway after the cricketers' arrival.

Event organisers Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (Ateed) expected the Black Caps to use the event to thank the public for support during the tournament.
Entry to the event is free.

Public figures including Prime Minister John Key and leader of the opposition Andrew Little have voiced their pride in the Black Caps despite the team's loss in the final.