Dilip Kumar recommended this star cricketer to play for India, who went on to become a World Cup superstar. Do you know his name?

New Delhi: The relationship between Cricket and Bollywood is a unique one, with big film stars making their way into the game through the avenue of IPL franchises. This liaison between the two worlds dates back more than half a century and has seen iconic couples like Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and Sharmila Tagore, as well as Mohammad Azharuddin and Sangeeta Bijlani, tying the knot. The Virat-Anushka love story is also well-known. While we have witnessed many love stories between cricketers and Bollywood celebrities, have you ever heard of a batsman making it to Team India on the recommendation of a Bollywood star? Well, it happened with Yashpal Sharma, the hero of India's 1983 World Cup victory. He was able to debut in Team India thanks to a recommendation from the legendary actor Dilip Kumar.

We are not making this claim, but Yashpal Sharma himself has given this information. He does not hesitate to say that Dilip Kumar has made his career better. This is the reason why he prefers to call him Yusuf Sahab instead of Dilip Kumar. Yashpal Sharma revealed this in comedian Kapil Sharma’s show. Yashpal Sharma said that I used to play Ranji cricket in the early days of my cricket career. At that time a knockout match was going on on the ground of a company, of which Dilip Kumar was the chairman.

Blazing innings in Ranji match:
Yashpal Sharma said that I had scored a century in the first innings. In the second innings, I was playing at a score of 80. Meanwhile, some vehicles came in the field (outside the boundary line). I thought that some local leader must have come.. he must have asked something, which I came to know later. I scored a century, he clapped. Then I thought that he had left. But when the match was over, the stadium officials told me to come, someone wants to meet you. When I went to the stadium office, I saw that Yusuf Bhai was standing there. He shook hands with me. Then he said that I think your game is strong. I will talk to someone for you.

Who did Dilip Kumar talk to?
After this, Dilip Kumar met the then BCCI President Raj Singh Dungarpur. After this, he told him about Yashpal’s game. Yashpal Sharma said, ‘Dilip sahab had told Raj Singh that there is a boy from Punjab. He is playing Ranji Trophy. I have come after watching his batting. After this, Raj Singh Dungarpur talked to BCCI officials about Yashpal Sharma.

Yashpal’s blast in the 1983 World Cup:
Yashpal Sharma made his international cricket debut in 1978 through an ODI match against Pakistan. You must remember the 1983 World Cup. Whenever this World Cup is talked about, the first name that comes to mind is Kapil Dev. Even though Kapil Dev lifted the trophy, opener Yashpal Sharma had a special contribution in this victory. Yashpal played a strong innings of 89 runs in Team India’s very first match against West Indies. In the semi-final against England, he played an innings of 61 runs and took Team India to the final. Yashpal scored 1,606 runs in 37 matches at an average of 33 in his Test career. During this, 9 half-centuries came from his bat. At the same time, in 42 ODIs, he scored 883 runs with the help of four half-centuries.