CRICKET World Cup winner Adil Rashid hopes his efforts inspire future Bradfordian cricketers.

The leg-spinner also lauded the exposure his sport was given to "millions and millions of people" thanks to the dramatic final between England and New Zealand being shown on terrestrial TV.

Rashid said: "Maybe it's the first time cricket was watched on normal TV, with so many watching.

"Young kids from Bradford, young kids from all over the country were watching.

"They were inspired, there was excitement, they must have thought 'we love this game.'

"People may not have watched it before.

"We are hoping now kids can really see the excitement of cricket – can see the fun and can see the actual enjoyment of cricket, team spirits, all that came into it, team bonding.

"It was very good as well for the country putting it onto normal television so people could watch and get behind England."

England's passage to the final wouldn't even have been possible without a solid performance against old rivals Australia in the semis.

In that clash of the cricket titans, the tournament hosts won by eight wickets when chasing 223.

Rashid proved pivotal in stifling Australia when they were picking up some batting rhythm.

The partnership of Steve Smith and Alex Carey was clicking when the spin bowler entered the fray to offer something different and he managed three wickets in the game.

That included two in one over, taking Carey out at a key moment in the match.

Overall, Rashid was happy with his World Cup performance, but admitted winning the title was the main thing.

He added: "Individual performance-wise, I’m quite happy with how the bowl came out.

"Yes, there have been times where you don’t feel great, you may not bowl well, you don’t get wickets.

"But that happens, that’s part and parcel of cricket.

"You’re not always going to come and get wickets and get wickets.

"As long as you chip in, as long as you make a difference to the team.

"The semi-final came, I played my part, got wickets and changed the game in that sense.

"Knowing that we’ve got 11 match-winners in the team playing, it’s good that each game somebody else turns up.

"It was nice to contribute, but personally for me I think the tournament went well.

"Because it wasn’t really much suited to spin bowling, this competition was all about fast bowling.

"I can’t complain. I may not have got the wickets of five or six, but on another day they could have come if chances were taken with catches and whatever – that’s besides the point, that’s cricket.

"As an overall, I'm happy."

England's test squad for a pre-Ashes warm-up camp and tie against Ireland was announced yesterday.

Rashid has missed out on both as he recuperates from an ongoing shoulder issue, while fast bowlers Mark Wood and Jofra Archer are also absent due to their injury woes.