A day before the final, Arshad sent a heartwarming message to the Indian champ: "Neeraj bhai, Aap bhi achcha karein, Hum bhi acha karein. Aapka naam hai world me, hamara bhi naam aye." (Brother, may you also do well, and I also do well. You have a name in the world. I hope I also make a name in the world).
With a throw of 87.82 metres at the World Athletics Championships on Sunday, Arshad went from sixth to second place in the javelin throw final.
But the silver medal was not the only thing he won. Arshad Nadeem won hearts globally when he spoke about how he harboured no rivalry with India's World and Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra and how he felt that there is always scope for learning from top athletes like Chopra.
This was the eighth time that the two athletes were competing against each other at the international level.
Sporting achievements, sportmanship and friendship aside, perhaps the most heart warming moment was when while posing for photographs, Nadeem looked over his shoulder to see if anyone could hand him a Pakistan flag. Realising he did not have one, Chopra indicated for him to come over so the two could pose together under the Indian flag.
Despite the historic win, the Pakistan Athletics Federation has come under severe criticism for failing to provide the silver medallist with a Pakistani flag at what was a historic moment and it has also been questioned over the negative role it has played over Nadeem's sponsorship deals.