NEW DELHI, April 17: The Indian cricket team arrived in New Delhi Saturday evening to an uproarious welcome by thousands of fans who burst crackers and danced to drumbeats to celebrate their historic win over Pakistan.

Team members had to be sneaked out through an unused airport gateway as a security measure against the jam-packed crowd, many of whom stood on one another's shoulders to get a peek of their heroes.

Several people waved flags of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which faces national elections starting Tuesday and has been keen to note that it allowed India's first full tour of its rival neighbour in almost 15 years.

India clinched its first ever Test series win in Pakistan on Friday.

The tourists also won the one-day series, making a clean sweep and marking India's first overseas win in a decade.

The cricket series took place as India and Pakistan work to mend decades of hostilities, including a near war in 2002, after a symbolic offer of friendship by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee a year ago.

The cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan is so intense that many offices shut down throughout the series as employees followed the fortunes of their team on television.-AFP