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Former Indian cricketer and 1983 World Cup-winning member Yashpal Sharma has passed away at the age of 66, due to a cardiac arrest in New Delhi on Tuesday, July 13. 

Sharma represented India in 37 Tests and 42 ODIs between 1978 and 1985. He was also the second-highest run-getter for India in the 1983 World Cup in England. The middle-order batsman scored two half-centuries in the tournament, including a match-winning 61 in the semi-finals against hosts England at Manchester. 

"It is unbelievable," Sharma’s 1983 World Cup-winning colleague Dilip Vengsarkar told news agency PTI.

"He was the fittest among all of us. I had asked him that day, when we met, 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,” former India captain Vengsarkar added. 

Sharma was born in Ludhiana in 1954 and made his international debut against Pakistan at Sialkot in 1978. 

"He told me that day we met that I had lost weight. We had a great reunion. I remember the very first game in the 1983 World Cup playing the mighty West Indies with those fast bowlers, he set the agenda and we won that game," Kirti Azad, another member of the 1983 team, reflected. 

Sharma finished his international career with 2489 runs, which included two centuries and 13 fifties. Besides playing for the country, he also represented Punjab, Haryana and Railways in domestic cricket. 

After retirement, he entered the coaching field and also served as a cricket commentator and administrator. Sharma also served as a national selector. Later, he was also involved in picking the India team for the 2011 World Cup. 

Sharma is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. 

Featured photo: Twitter/IndiaSports

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