Former Indian cricketer Yashpal Sharma, who was also a member of the squad that won the 1983 World Cup under the leadership of Kapil Dev, died on Tuesday after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 66 and is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.
Yashpal was one of the crucial players in India’s triumph in the 1983 world cup, scoring 240 runs at an average of 34.28 in the series, including a courageous knock of 61 against England in the semi-finals.
Shocked and deeply pained by the demise of Yashpal Sharma ji. Have fond memories of watching him bat during the 1983 World Cup. His contribution to Indian cricket shall always be remembered.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 13, 2021
My sincere condolences to the entire Sharma family. pic.twitter.com/WBQ6ng2x8I
Sharma represented India in 37 ODIs and 42 tests and was a pivotal part of the Indian middle-order from 1979 to 1983. He scored 1606 runs with two centuries and nine fifties. Yashpal made his debut in 1979 against England. He made his ODI debut in 1978 against Pakistan while amassing 883 runs at an average of 28.48.
Yashpal rose to prominence in junior-level cricket when he scored 260 for Punjab schools against Jammu & Kashmir schools in 1972. In a matter of just two years, he was in the state team and a member of the North Zone team that won the Vizzy Trophy. Sharma also impressed the selectors with superb innings of 173 in the Duleep Trophy for North, against the South Zone team which had Chandrasekhar, Erapalli Prasanna, and Venkataraghavan. In Ranji Trophy, he represented three teams, including Haryana and Railways, and played 160 matches while racking up 8,933 runs that included a double century.
Yashpal Sharma also served as a national selector for a couple of years and was reappointed to the panel in 2008.
Many cricket players, present and former, have expressed condolences on the demise of Yashpal Sharma.
