The cricket world in general and Indian cricket in particular lost one of its greatest batsmen of the 1970s and 1980s on Tuesday morning. Right-handed batsman Yashpal Sharma passed away due to cardiac arrest in New Delhi.
Yashpal Sharma, one of the heroes of the 1983 World Cup, dies at the age of 66
Sharma was 66 years old and a vital member of the 1983 World Cup-winning Indian team, one of nine players to play in all eight matches in India’s campaign. Sharma was also a member of the national selection committee that selected the Indian team that won the World Cup in 2011.
Yashpal Sharma: India’s hero in forgotten win against West Indies
His teammates from the 1983 World Cup were in a state of shock and couldn’t believe there wasn’t one of them.
Madan Lal, who was on his way to Sharma’s house after learning that his teammate is not there, told news18.com, “This is shocking news. This is a personal loss for me. I can’t believe he is no more with us.”
Dilip Vengsarkar and Balwinder Singh Sandhu were yet to agree that Sharma was no more. Vengsarkar told this website: “He was the fittest of all of us. I used to ask him what he did to stay fit and he said that he has always been a vegetarian. He was also a fitness freak. He said he used to eat soothing foods that kept him light. “
Vengsarkar knew Sharma from his inter-university days, when he joined the national team. “We had a lot of partnerships in Tests and ODIs. I especially remember the Test against Pakistan in Delhi in 1979 when we were on the verge of losing. We put on 122 runs for the fourth wicket and scored an unbeaten 146 with me and Yashpal scored 60. We played three seasons and after he got out, we lost a few more wickets. And, we eventually drew that match.”
Sharma was very consistent, said 65-year-old Vengsarkar. “He was a batsman who could improve and play according to the situation. He could hit big sixes too.”
Another of Sharma’s teammates, medium-pacer Balwinder Singh Sandhu, was inconsolable when contacted by News18.com.
“I have lost a family member. I am really in a state of shock. This is the worst news I have received this year. I never thought that this could happen. We met recently on 25th June in Delhi to mark the 38th anniversary of our World Cup victory. He was fine. Everything was fine with him. Her kids are doing well. He was so happy that his children were doing well. In fact, he was worried about my health,” said right-arm medium pacer Sandhu.
Sandhu, 64, echoed Vengsarkar’s sentiments and said that Sharma took good care of his health. “He was a very nice person. He was a lively character. In fact, he was my room partner during the 1983 World Cup. I had a great time with him. He used to make tea for me every morning.”
Sandhu said that life can be cruel sometimes.
“He was very active. He was pure vegetarian, had no habit like smoking and drinking. He used to be religious with worship and other activities. He was taking good care of his health. This is such shocking news. that he is no longer with us.”
Sandhu, who played all eight matches in the 1983 World Cup, said that Sharma played a huge role in the World Cup.
“His role was to keep one end tight and let the others play their shots. He contributed so much to India’s victory that sometimes I felt he was not given the credit he should have got. He played some great shots.”
Sharma won the Man of the Match in India’s first match of the 1983 World Cup campaign, scoring 89 against defending champions West Indies and helping India win by 34 runs. Sharma scored 61 runs at No 4 in the semi-final win against England and 92 for the third wicket with Man of the Match Mohinder Amarnath (46) and 63 for the next with Sandeep Patil (51).
Sandhu said that he will always remember Sharma as a man who was “very gritty and never gave up his wicket”. He said: “He just used to grind, grind and grind the opposition. He came on a very difficult path in his life. On top of that, he maintained value for his wicket. “
Sandhu proudly recalled the partnership he shared with Sharma in the West Indies on the 1983 tour before the World Cup. “In the first Test in Jamaica, we were 127 for seven and I joined Yashpal. We shared a partnership of 107 for the eighth wicket. I scored 68 and he was the last one to get out for 63.
The 1983 World Cup team was like one big unit with each one taking care of the other. Sandhu said: “We had a lot of fun, each one pulling each other’s legs. We used to joke. We all will miss Yashpal. He was a very part of us. “
Born in Punjab and representing Haryana, Yashpal played in 37 Tests from 1979 to 1983 and 42 ODIs between 1978 and 1985. He scored 1,606 runs in Tests at 33.45 with two centuries and nine fifties. In ODIs, he scored 883 runs at an average of 28.48, with 89 being his highest score in four fifties.
Sharma also tried his hand at umpiring and match refereeing.
The condition of Indian cricket is saddened by his death.
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