Yashpal Sharma, The 1983 World Cup Hero Passes Away Due To Cardiac Arrest!

On Tuesday, the Indian Cricket fraternity lost an unsung hero as the 1983 World Cup champ Yashpal Sharma passed away. Aged 66, Sharma suffered a cardiac arrest while returning from his morning walk. Cricketing fans across the nation paid glowing tributes to the former batsman whilst remembering his vital contributions. Sharma’s prolific career spanned 37 Tests and 42 ODIs wherein he scored 1,606 and 883 runs respectively. Moreover, his match-winning innings in the 1983 semi-final will remain a highlight of Indian cricket history.

Being a middle-order batsman, Yashpal Sharma was known for his charged-up batting style. Also, he was fondly referred to as ‘Mr. Consistent’ for his remarkable performances throughout his career. The news of his untimely death left the cricketing world in disbelief while many of his 1983 teammates expressed their grief. When the press reached out to the former skipper Kapil Dev, the latter broke down saying, “I won’t be able to speak.”

It was just a couple of weeks ago that the 1983 squad had a reunion during a book launch. Remembering the same, former cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar was left in shock. “It is unbelievable. He was the fittest among all of us,” Vengsarkar said. On the other hand, fans were also shattered as they flooded the internet with some interesting throwback scenes from the 1983 campaign.

For those unversed, Yashpal will be best remembered for his knock of 61 against England in the 1983 semi-final. His gutsy innings paved the way for India’s entry into the World Cup final. Also, in the early 2000s, Sharma stepped in as one of the National selectors for the team.

Before making a mark in the international arena, Sharma scored tons of runs in the Ranji Trophy. His performances in the domestic league are still carved as one of the finest. Sharma had put up 21 centuries playing 160 matches. Representing Punjab, Haryana, and Railways in different periods, Sharma’s records are still registered as great triumphs.

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