Cancer-battling boy’s wish comes true as he meets Shaheen Afridi after his video plea went viral

Lahore Qalandars answer young boy's wish with Shaheen Afridi meet-up

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Shamseer Mohammed, Staff Writer
Shaheen Shah Afridi with his fan
Shaheen Shah Afridi with his fan
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The video was short, simple, and impossible to scroll past.

Sport is so powerful. It has a unique way of bringing comfort, especially during difficult times.

A young boy sat in front of the camera, speaking softly but with hope in his eyes. “My name is Farzan, and I am a huge fan of Lahore Qalandars. My greatest wish is to meet Shaheen Shah Afridi. Does he have time for me?”

Within hours, that message had travelled far beyond his home in Gujranwala.

Farzan, a resident of Qila Didar Singh, has been bravely battling cancer for the past four years. His story, and the quiet courage behind it, struck a chord online. What began as a heartfelt request soon turned into something much bigger.

A message that reached the right people

As the video gained attention, it eventually reached the Lahore Qalandars management. The response was swift and clear. The franchise confirmed they had seen Farzan’s message and wanted to make his wish come true.

“We have received the child’s message,” the management said. “We invite this brave young fan to attend a match in Lahore so that he can meet his favourite player, Shaheen Shah Afridi.”

They also promised to make the occasion special, with a signed shirt, a cap, and a personal interaction with the Qalandars captain.

Around the same time, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi also stepped in, posting on X and asking fans to help share Farzan’s contact details so the team could reach him.

From a wish to a real moment

Days later, that promise turned into reality.

Farzan was invited to the stadium as a special guest, where he finally met Shaheen Shah Afridi and spent time with the team. It was not rushed or formal. Shaheen took his time, spoke to him, and made sure the moment felt real.

He handed over a signed shirt and cap, turning what started as a simple wish into something Farzan and his family will always remember.

The Lahore Qalandars later shared the moment online, calling him a “special Qalandar” and applauding his strength.

“A very special Qalandar is in the house to support us today. Farzan, who has been battling cancer for four years, wanted to meet his hero Shaheen. Today, he got his wish fulfilled,” the post read.

For Farzan, it was never about the spotlight. It was about meeting someone he looked up to. And in the end, that one message was all it took to make it happen. It was a class act from Lahore Qalandars and Shaheen Afridi.

Shamseer Mohammed
Shamseer MohammedStaff Writer
From code to kick-off: Gulf News’ Mohammed Shamsheer spends his weekdays in DevOps and weekends watching football — a proud Chelsea supporter through and through.
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