Yashpal Sharma Birthday: One Meeting With Bollywood Legend Dilip Kumar Shaped The Cricketer's Life
Often hailed as the 'silent warrior' of Indian cricket, Sharma is best remembered for his match-winning 61 against England in the semi-final at Lord's during the 1983 World Cup
Had fate been kinder, Yashpal Sharma, the gritty middle-order batsman who played a pivotal role in India's historic 1983 World Cup triumph, would have turned 71 today. Born on August 11, 1954, in Ludhiana, Punjab, Sharma's life was cut short in 2021, leaving behind memories of a career defined by determination and quiet brilliance.
Often hailed as the 'silent warrior' of Indian cricket, Sharma is best remembered for his match-winning 61 against England in the semi-final at Lord's during the 1983 World Cup. But away from the spotlight of that iconic knock lies a little-known chapter, one that changed the course of his life and featured an unlikely benefactor from the world of cinema.
It may surprise cricket fans to know that Sharma's entry into the national team came with the recommendation of none other than legendary actor Dilip Kumar. The two met for the first time during a Ranji Trophy knockout clash between Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. 'Sometimes future talents are chosen by people from other fields. You call him Dilip Sahab (his screen name). I call him Yusuf Sahab (his real name)," Sharma once said.
Sharma went on to recount how, after completing his second century of the Ranji Trophy match, he drew applause from the distinguished guest. 'When I completed my century in the second innings, he clapped. I had never met Yusuf sahab before. Later a match official came and said, 'We have to go to the administrative box and meet someone'. When I reached there, I was at a loss for words because Yusuf sahab was right in front of me. He shook hands with me and said that he liked my batting. Dilip sahab said, 'You have a great temperament. Obviously you are talented and I will talk to someone about you'. To be honest, I felt very good that such a big person was talking to me. I never met him after that."
Within four years of that chance encounter, Sharma made his Duleep Trophy debut in 1977 against South Zone, smashing 173 runs. His rise continued in the Irani Trophy the following year, when a conversation with then BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur revealed the unseen hand behind his selection.
Sharma recalled, 'Playing for Rest of India in the Irani Trophy in 1978, when I came to the field after batting, I met the late Raj Singh Dungarpur ji (former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India). He told me that we were keeping an eye on you. He (Dungarpur) just told me that a few years ago Yusuf sahab had recommended my name. I was very happy that a Bollywood star, who did not even know me, recommended my name."
The two crossed paths once again, this time far from the cricket pitch. During a rest day of a Test match in Mumbai, Dilip Kumar invited Sharma to the sets of Kranti, where Manoj Kumar was also shooting. The veteran actor congratulated the cricketer on earning his Test cap. 'I could never meet him after that. But I will always be grateful to him," Sharma later said.
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