Australia's triumphant World Cup cricketers brought central Melbourne to a standstill yesterday as 150,000 green and gold supporters welcomed them home.

Fans crammed every vantage point as captain Steve Waugh and his team paraded through the city in a cavalcade of open-topped cars.

"Welcome home world champs," said the banners.

Cup Final man-of-the-match leg-spinner Shane Warne and skipper Waugh brought up the rear of the procession with the World Cup trophy.

Supporters were decked in the national flag, others sprayed their hair green and yellow while more still carried balloons and hurled streamers.

Steve Waugh, whose remarkable innings against South Africa in the Super Six (120 not out off 110 balls) secured his side's place in the semi-finals, said the reception made all the sacrifices worthwhile.

"I'm proud to be Australian today, it's just unbelievable," he said.

"These are times that the players will never forget."

Warne, who will take time out to decide if he wants to continue his international career, grinned for the length of the journey from the state library to the town hall.

The home-town idol lapped it up, punching the confetti-filled air and saluting the crowd.

The army of supporters responded with a roar. "Warnie, Warnie, Warnie," they screamed, drowning out the speeches as the players filed onto a centre stage.

Nor are the celebrations over. Next Monday a second victory parade will be held in Sydney and the team will be welcomed at a federal parliamentary reception in Canberra the same day.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan cricket team's manager Zafar Altaf has said the final of the World Cup was not "fixed" and appealed to angry fans to stop humiliating "national heroes" amid continuing protests.

"I appeal to people to stop levelling allegations against national heroes and show confidence in their players," Jang newspaper yesterday quoted Zafar as saying in an interview from London.

"I accept the day of the final was not Pakistan's day. Australia has outclassed us. It is our bad luck that we could not become world champions," Zafar said.

The manager added he was not happy with the team's performance, but said: "We have to consider that the same team made Pakistan reach the final."

He called for an end to the trend of levelling match fixing allegations after every defeat.

Yesterday dozens of fans, mostly youths, burned an effigy of captain Wasim Akram and chanted slogans against the star players during a protest demonstration in the port city of Karachi.

In Karachi the protestors chanted "Traitors, traitors" and kicked effigies of the "gamblers".

Some of the players are reportedly due to arrive home today, while others including Wasim are intending to stay in England due to professional and personal engagements.

Victorious Australian captain Steve Waugh commented in Australia: "In a way you've got to feel sorry for those guys because there is so much at stake every time they play."