New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer and 1983 World Cup winner Yashpal Sharma passed away of a massive cardiac arrest on Tuesday at the age of 66.
The former Indian batsman reportedly died of cardiac arrest at 7:40 am. He is survived by his wife Renu Sharma, two daughters Puja, Preeti and son Chirag Sharma.
He represented India in 37 ODIs and 42 Tests and was a crucial part of the Indian middle-order from 1979-83. He also served as a national selector for a couple of years and was reappointed to the panel in 2008. In the 1983 World Cup, he was the top-scorer for India in the semi-final against England where he scored 61 runs and was involved in a match-winning 92-run stand with Mohinder Amarnath for the third wicket followed by another 63-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Sandeep Patil.
Yashpal had got India off to a brilliant start in the 1983 World Cup as he scored a match-winning 89 against the West Indies in what was India’s first match of the showpiece event. As wickets kept tumbling from the other end, he ensured India reached a respectable total of 262 runs. In reply, the Windies were bowled out for 228 runs. Yashpal was adjudged Man of the Match for his brilliant knock against the two-time world champions.
In his Test career, he scored 1606 runs at 33.45 which included 2 centuries and nine half-centuries. In ODIs, he scored 883 runs at 28.48 which included four half-centuries. He also had one wicket each in the two formats to his name.