Yashpal Sharma: Birth anniversary – An integral part of India’s WC win in 1983
August 11, 2021 marks the 67th birth anniversary of former Indian cricketer Yashpal Sharma. The talented batter was blessed with a solid technique that allowed him to tackle many potent bowlers with precision. Yashpal was known to anchor the innings in the middle overs and his ability to deliver in crunch situations makes him an even greater asset. He was instrumental in taking India to the 1983 World Cup glory.
Making his debut in October 1978, Yashpal didn’t take long in cementing his place in the side. His remarkable resilience and ability to play shots at different parts made him a regular in the ODI and Test team. While the right-handed batter played several scintillating knocks in his illustrious career, his heroics in the 1983 World Cup remain the highlight of his career.
The match-winning knock in the 1983 World Cup semi-final
Yashpal scored 240 runs in eight innings, second-most for any Indian batter in the global event. The Punjab-born batter also scored a match-winning half-century in the semi-final. Chasing 214 against hosts England in Manchester, the talented batter walked in at number four. He paced his knock to perfection and ended up scoring 61 off 115 deliveries. Riding on his brilliance, India won the game by six wickets.
Overall, Yashpal Sharma played 37 Tests and 42 ODIs between 1979 and 1985, scoring 1606 and 883 runs respectively. This also includes two Test centuries. After bidding farewell to the gentleman’s game, Yashpal served Indian cricket in a different role. In 2003, he was elected as the national selector by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Indian cricket was going through turmoil during this period with the Ganguly-Chappell saga coming out in public. Yashpal was vocal against the then-coach Greg Chappell in the episode and supported Sourav Ganguly. Notably, the talismanic cricketer also featured in several TV shows and was known for speaking his mind. Be it praising a player or unleashing criticism, Sharma didn’t hold back in many any bold comments. This shining gem of Indian cricket breathed his last on July 13 last month.
