MUMBAI: If Rajkot is today a prominent cricketing venue, then it owes some gratitude to India's 1983 World Cup triumph hero Yashpal Sharma, and his teammates in that historic win. On Tuesday, Sharma passed away due to a heart attack in New Delhi.
"After India's phenomenal win in the 1983 World Cup, the likes of Yashpal Sharma, (Kris) Srikkanth, (Dilip) Vengsarkar, (Mohinder) Amarnath, (Sandeep) Patil, (Roger) Binny had come to Rajkot to play in an Irani Cup tie between Rest of India and Karnataka, from September 1-4, 1983. Yashpal had scored 76 in the first innings and 53 not out in the second. He also bowled in both innings, capturing a wicket in the second innings. This was the match after which Rajkot became an important centre in the map of world cricket," Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) secretary Himanshu Shah told TOI on Tuesday.
