BRADFORD has congratulated its World Cup winning heroes after Adil Rashid and Jonny Bairstow helped England clinch a dramatic World Cup Final.

Plans are ongoing on how to best honour the history making pair in their home city.

This week City Hall and the Forster Square arches will be lit up red and white to mark the success.

Heaton-born Rashid and fellow Bradfordian Jonny Bairstow were integral members of the squad that lifted the ICC World Cup trophy at Lord’s on Sunday.

The Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Doreen Lee said: “I am delighted two Bradfordians were vital members of the team that won the Cricket World Cup.

“I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Adil Rashid, Jonny Bairstow and the rest of the team.”

Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe added that the pair were "national heroes".

Watching on in the crowd was Rashid’s brother Amar Rashid, who said the “unreal” win still hasn’t sunk in.

He said: “It was unreal to be there to witness it.

“Being with all the players’ families was really emotional and when we won some tears of joy were shed.

“It was nerve-wracking, I’ve definitely lost a few hairs. I couldn’t sit still at the end it was so tense.

“This has come from four years of hard work and commitment they have all put in.

“Coming from a South Asian background, we are all so proud of him here in Bradford to be a world champion from the city.

“Hopefully it will inspire future generations in Bradford.

“Adil and I had the faith and belief we would win, and when some things went our way I knew it was our day.

“Our father put in so much time and effort taking us all to cricket when we were younger, this is a great reward for him.”

Amar, who runs the Adil Rashid Cricket Academy alongside his brother, hopes the win will inspire more children to get involved in the sport.

He added: "We have a world champion from Bradford, this should change everything.

"The world, billions of people, were glued to that game. There will never be a game like that ever again, and to have a game like that in a World Cup final in front of a home crowd, it was unbelievable.

"The aim now is to get more children playing the game, and that is what we're especially trying to do through the academy.

"We want to get more children playing the game and hopefully following in Adil and Jonny's footsteps to play for England.

"We want to be a platform for youngsters to get to the next level, and to just get them involved in playing cricket."

A Bradford Cricket League spokesperson added: “The League is delighted for Adil, Jonny and the England team, and the way they won captivated the nation.

“The job now is build on this and get more youngsters involved in cricket and get more children playing cricket at school to bring through the next Adil Rashids and Jonny Bairstows.”

Councillor John Pennington, eader of the Conservative Group, added: “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to pay tribute to the English cricket team.

"Those who saw the match will remember it for the rest of their lives, and perhaps this will encourage more youngsters to take up the game.”

England won the ICC Cricket World Cup for the first time in the most dramatic of circumstances.

After the scores finished tied after 50 overs a piece, the game went to a super over, which also finished level, handing England the title at the home of cricket, Lord’s, after hitting more boundaries in the match.

Adil Rashid couldn’t get the ball to turn but kept runs to a premium during his bowling spell, and sacrificed his wicket for a diamond duck dashing for two runs to try and get England over the line.

Bairstow’s 36 runs held England’s innings together as the top order fell around him, and he was peerless in the field as he patrolled the boundaries.