Paris Olympics javelin hero Arshad Nadeem invited to Pakistan cricket team’s dressing room

New Delhi: Pakistan Test cricket team’s head coach Jason Gillespie has extended an open invitation to Paris Olympics javelin champion Arshad Nadeem for a pep talk in the dressing room.

Nadeem has become the toast of the nation after winning Pakistan’s first individual Olympic gold medal.

With an Olympic record throw of 92.97m, the 27-year-old bested defending champion Neeraj Chopra to gift Pakistan their first medal since Barcelona 1992.

Nadeem, the defending Commonwealth Games champion, has since been showered with gifts and cash rewards, though he had struggled for funding earlier and had once appealed to have his sole javelin that was broken replaced.

But ever since his Paris 2024 triumph, Nadeem has received tons of congratulatory messages with the national cricket team players also extending their god wishes to him.

Now, Gillespie has said that he is open to the idea of Nadeem coming over to have a chat with his boys in the dressing room.

“We would love to invite Arshad Nadeem to the dressing room as well. I saw all the Shaheens cheering him on during the Olympics. Having him visit and share his gold medal with the team would be a fantastic boost, especially with the Olympic spirit still in the air. It was a wonderful moment, and we extend an open invitation for him to visit the dressing room,” Gillespie said on a podcast of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Seeking inspiration

Gillespie has recently been appointed as the coach of Pakistan’s red-ball team.

The former Australia pacer believes the cricket team would benefit from the inputs of Nadeem, as he has battled considerable hardship on his way to becoming the Olympic champion.

Pakistan have fared poorly in recent ICC tournaments, exiting early from the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup, having last won a major trophy in 2017.

As Nadeem ended Pakistan’s wait for an Olympics medal after 32 years, Pakistan Test team’s skipper Shan Masood feels he could prove to be a source of motivation for the players.

“Does it put pressure on the team? I don’t see it as pressure but as a privilege. Representing Pakistan is a huge honour, and every day we play is a privilege. We should feel extremely proud and grateful to represent our country. Arshad Nadeem’s success motivates us to seize our opportunity to do something good for Pakistan,” Masood said on the podcast.

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 Ardhad Nadeem has become the toast of the nation after winning Pakistan’s first individual Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024.  Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today