▁got ▁Sh arma ▁a ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁team ▁to ▁Pakistan ▁a ▁few ▁weeks ▁later . ▁He ▁played ▁two ▁one ▁day ▁matches ▁in ▁the ▁tour . ▁He ▁went ▁to ▁England ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁that ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁Cup . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁play ▁in ▁any ▁match ▁but ▁appeared ▁in ▁three ▁Test s ▁in ▁the ▁series ▁that ▁followed . ▁He ▁scored ▁ 8 8 4 ▁runs ▁at ▁an ▁average ▁of ▁ 5 8 ▁in ▁the ▁tour ▁matches . ▁ ▁International ▁cr icket ▁His ▁form ▁in ▁England ▁assured ▁him ▁of ▁a ▁Test ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁games . ▁After ▁scoring ▁a ▁pair ▁against ▁Australia ▁in ▁the ▁Kan pur ▁Test , ▁Sh arma ▁scored ▁his ▁first ▁Test ▁hundred ▁in ▁the ▁very ▁next ▁match . ▁He ▁could ▁have ▁scored ▁another ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁Test ▁at ▁Cal cut ta , ▁but ▁with ▁ 3 . 4 ▁o vers ▁still ▁left ▁before ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Test , ▁he ▁appe aled ▁against ▁light . ▁Through ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 9 – 8 0 ▁season , ▁Sh arma ▁played ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁steady ▁but ▁un exception al ▁inn ings ▁where ▁he ▁often ▁played ▁a ▁support ive ▁role ▁to ▁a ▁senior ▁b ats man . ▁He ▁was ▁basically ▁a ▁def ensive ▁b ats man ▁but ▁could ▁hit ▁very ▁hard ▁when ▁needed . ▁ ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁highest ▁first ▁class ▁score ▁against ▁Victoria ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 – 8 1 , ▁a ▁ 4 6 5 - min ute