THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Cricket Association is set to give a grand welcome to the Kerala team, which has reached the Ranji Trophy final for the first time in its history. The team is returning in a private plane chartered by the association.

Kerala Cricket Association President Jayesh George and Secretary Vinod S Kumar have reached Nagpur to bring the team back. The team members who will arrive with them on the Air Embraer jet at 9.30 pm on Monday will be received by KCA office bearers and members. The team, which will arrive at the KCA headquarters with the trophy, will be specially honoured.

The Kerala Cricket Association had earlier brought the Under-14 and Under-16 teams to Nagpur to watch the finals, which had received great praise at the national level. Kerala ended the season without losing a single match.

The Kerala team will be accommodated at Hotel Hyatt. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be the special guest at the felicitation ceremony to be held at the Hyatt on Tuesday evening at 6 pm. Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan, Sports Minister Abdu Rahman, Ministers K. Rajan, P. Prasad, P. Rajiv, MLAs and civic leaders will participate in the ceremony.