Born in Ludhiana on August 11, 1954 Yashpal played a very crucial role in World Cup 1983. He confirmed his place in Indian Test cricket team after his debut in 1979 during England tour. He played his last test match in October of the year 1983. He made regular appearances on TV as well as news channels even after retiring. According to sources, Yashpal had returned home to his wife after his daily morning walks and collapsed.
Here are some facts about Yashpal Sharma that you might not know
1. Crisis man
Yashpal Sharma was referred to as the ‘crisis man’ as he would perform unexpectedly well when the team was under high pressure.
2. World Cup 1983
Sharma played an important role in the 1983 World Cup and saved the team by scoring an average of 34.38 runs and a total of 240 runs.
3. Funny accent
Yashpal had a goofy accent and often mispronounced words to his teammates. Once Yashpal complained of having burning sensation and said “STD ho gaya hai” ( I have STD ). Ye mujhe pehle kabhi nahin hua hai” ( I have never had this before). While everyone was still processing this information, it turned out that he meant ‘acidity’.
4. Cricketer of the Year
Yashpal was given the title of Indian Cricketer of the Year as he scored an aggregate of 762 runs at 76.20.
5. Brilliant in cricket since school
Yashpal had always been good at cricket and scored 260 for Punjab schools against Jammu and Kashmir schools in 1972. After receiving a lot of praise for his extraordinary performance he made it to Punjab University. Yashpal also made a debut for Punjab at Jalandhar when he was only 19 years old.
6. Worked as an Umpire
Sharma was not just good at cricket but also tried his fair share in umpiring. He stood as an umpire in some women’s ODI matches.
7. Represented three teams
While playing against teams and bringing glory. Yashpal left his mark by plying for three teams in Ranji Trophy - Punjab, Haryana and Railways. In 160 matches, he scored an average of 8,933 runs with 21 centuries and highest score of 201 with not out.
Also read: Yashpal Sharma, India's 1983 World Cup Hero, dies of cardiac arrest
8. All-rounder
Besides batting, bowling and being an umpire he was also a good wicket keeper. Making him one of the finest all-rounders Indian team could ever have.