Arshad Nadeem’s Struggles Mirror the Wider Decline of Pakistan Sport

Exactly two years ago, in the very same month of August, Arshad Nadeem stunned the world. With two throws of over 90 metres in six attempts in Paris, he dethroned Neeraj Chopra and created a massive stir. While Neeraj had to settle for silver, Arshad won Olympic gold for Pakistan, in what was perhaps the greatest moment in the country’s sporting history.

Two years later, Arshad is struggling. He has been unable to produce anything of note and is clearly an athlete trying desperately to rediscover his touch. It is reflective of a deeper crisis in Pakistan sport – a crisis that now appears all-pervasive. Their men’s and women’s cricket teams are a pale shadow of what they once were. The hockey team, once a formidable force, has lost its sheen. Arshad is a pale shadow of the athlete we saw in Paris, and there is little else to celebrate.

On the day of the javelin qualifiers, a Pakistani journalist walked up to Arshad and, during an interview in the mixed zone, asked him to introduce himself to the viewers. Imagine an Indian journalist asking Neeraj to introduce himself before answering a question. Arshad is arguably Pakistan’s greatest-ever athlete – an Olympic gold medallist, for goodness’ sake. If he has to introduce himself while competing at the Commonwealth Games, there is something seriously wrong with the country’s sporting ecosystem.

I am conscious that I will be criticised for writing this piece and told off by some in Pakistan because I am an Indian. But I am not writing this as an Indian journalist. I am writing it as a sports analyst. The truth is that, in Paris, Arshad left us all in awe. It was one of the finest performances of the Games, and watching him throw beyond 93 metres was extraordinary. The subsequent decline has been equally striking.

What makes Neeraj the athlete he is, however, is his consistency and longevity. He has been at the top level for seven or eight years and, apart from the World Championships in 2025, has reached the podium every single time. That is what sustained excellence looks like, and it is where both Arshad and Pakistan are currently falling short.

If we look at cricket, Pakistan are no longer the team they once were. While we continue to build up the India-Pakistan contest, deep down we know that India would probably win 95 out of 100 matches – and win comfortably. It is no longer the rivalry it once was, and that is not a good sign for world cricket.

The women’s team is in an even more difficult position. Apart from Fatima Sana, who is world-class, and perhaps Muneeba Ali, there is little to suggest they can consistently challenge the leading sides. With Arshad on a downward trajectory, there is very little left to celebrate in Pakistan sport. The hockey team were comprehensively beaten by India in the Pro League, and that reality should not be lost on anyone. While Neeraj is on a comeback trail and once again finished on the podium in Glasgow, Arshad did not even make the top eight in the final.

Perhaps it is time for some genuine introspection and soul-searching. Otherwise, the same story is likely to play out at the Asian Games a month from now.

Follow Revsportz for latest sports news

The post Arshad Nadeem’s Struggles Mirror the Wider Decline of Pakistan Sport appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.