Probably one of the most iconic and historic moments in Indian sporting history is when Kapil Dev lifted the ICC World Cup way back in 1983, signalling India’s first cricket triumph on the global stage. Nearly 40 years later, we still get goosebumps when we see the footage involved in that tournament. However, we have sad news coming in as one of the members of that winning squad has passed away.
We’re talking about batsman Yashpal Sharma who, as per reports, has passed away at the age of 66 years due to a cardiac arrest. He was a vital part of the Indian squad during this 1983 World Cup and he even smashed 61 against England in the semi-final, pacing the way for a berth in the World Cup finals. Unfortunately, he passed away on Tuesday, 13th July 2021.
Born on August 11, 1954 in Ludhiana, the gutsy middle order batsman hit 2 sixes in that semi final against England and played a total of 79 international games for India, including 37 Tests and 42 ODIs. During the time, he smashed 2 Tests centuries and 4 ODI fifties, after first having donned the India jersey way back in October 1978.
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He passed away due to cardiac arrest a few weeks before his 67th birthday and is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. After his playing days, Sharma spent a little while as a national selector during the early 2000s and his teammates have expressed their grief on social media after this 1983 World Cup hero passed away.
“It is unbelievable. He was the fittest among all of us. I had asked him that day when we met how about his routine. He was a vegetarian, teetotaller, used to have soup for his dinner and very particular about his morning walks. I am just shocked,” said Dilip Vengsarkar to PTI reporters about the loss of his teammate, colleague and friend. Here’s a look at that innings of 61 against England:
Semi final match against England in 1983 World Cup pic.twitter.com/DcIz8cLxjk
— Yashpal Sharma (@cricyashpal) June 25, 2021
We wish his family all the strength and courage, and wish that his soul may rest in peace. For more updates from the world of cricket, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com.
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