Former India cricketer Yashpal Sharma, 66, has passed away from a cardiac arrest on Tuesday morning at his home in Noida. He collapsed after returning from his morning walk.
Sharma is best remembered for his performances in the 1983 World Cup. With 240 runs, he was the second-highest run-getter for India. He was also adjudged as the Player of the Match for his 89 against West Indies in India’s first match of the tournament. It was the West Indies’ first defeat in World Cup history.
Sharma also top scored in India’s must-win league match against Australia at Chelmsford, and in the semi-final against England. In the latter, he top-scored with 61, forging crucial partnerships with Mohinder Amarnath and Sandeep Patil. The highlight of the innings was a flicked six off Bob Willis.
Overall, he played 37 Tests and 42 ODIs for India, across the 70s and early 80s. Against England in Madras in 1981/82, he (140) and Gundappa Viswanath (222) batted through all of Day 2. They added 316, then the record third-wicket partnership for India.
His last appearance for the national side came in 1984/85, in an ODI against England. He played alongside his nephew, Chetan Sharma, who is currently the BCCI chairman of selectors.
While his international career came to an end, he kept playing domestic cricket for Punjab, Haryana and Railways. Following his cricketing career, Sharma worked as a commentator, coach at various levels, and also as a selector for Indian cricket team on two occasions.
In Kabir Khan’s upcoming 83, a movie based on India’s 1983 World Cup triumph, Jatin Sharma will play Yashpal Sharma.