Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem has become the darling of the nation after winning gold medal in the men's javelin event at the Paris Olympics 2024.

With this glory, Arshad didn’t only end Pakistan's 40-year-long wait for an Olympic gold medal but also became country’s first and only individual Olympic gold medalist. No wonder, many believe that his achievement is the greatest ever by any Pakistani sportsperson.

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali also believes that Arshad’s feat is greater than the collective laurels brought by Babar Azam and the national cricket team.

"Cricket is a different game. But the work that Arshad Nadeem has done for this country will take a lot of years for Babar Azam. Because Babar plays a team game. He does not play an individual game. Arshad plays individually. He got a gold medal alone," Basit said while speaking to Cricket Pakistan.

Cricket will be part of the Log Angeles Olympics in 2028, and Basit Ali reckons that if the Pakistan team manages to clinch the gold medal, then their accomplishment could be compared to Arshad’s.

"If the Pakistan cricket team goes to the Olympics in 2028 and wins a gold medal there, then we can draw comparisons. But at this time, there is no comparison of Babar to Arshad Nadeem. Arshad is a hero at this time," he added.

Arshad Nadeem scripted history in the men's javelin final at the Paris Olympics 2024. His second throw of 92.97m broke the Olympic record as he went on to throw another 91.57m throw in his last attempt to seal the winner's spot.

Arshad dethroned India’s Neeraj Chopra to become the Olympic champion in the men's javelin. Chopra, the gold medallist from Tokyo Olympics 2020, bagged the silver medal with his season-best throw of 89.94m.