ISLAMABAD: Lahore Qalandars have gifted their captain Shaheen Shah Afridi a 24-carat gold-plated iPhone 16 Pro in a grand gesture that lit up the dressing room and quickly caught the attention of fans and players alike.
The franchise presented the luxury phone to Afridi in the presence of his teammates, who gathered to witness the unwrapping.
England’s Sam Billings appeared visibly stunned, his wide-eyed reaction reflecting the collective amazement of the squad.
Fast bowler Haris Rauf added a touch of humour to the moment, jokingly calling the gift “unfair” as only the skipper received the golden treatment.
The Lahore Qalandars shared a video of the moment on social media, showing Afridi receiving the customised phone on the field.
The iPhone has landed 📱😉
Our Captain Qalandar receives a gift he’s worthy of 💛🤴🏽
A custom 24K Gold-plated IPhone 16 Pro, made just for Lahore Qalandars’ main man, Shaheen! pic.twitter.com/PYigEiJvRR— Lahore Qalandars (@lahoreqalandars) April 20, 2025
Visibly delighted, Afridi commented on the phone’s weight, saying, “It is heavy,” while Rauf teased: “This is unfair.”
Shaheen Afridi, who leads both Pakistan’s pace attack and the Lahore Qalandars, has been hailed as one of the top fast bowlers of his generation.
Under his leadership, Lahore Qalandars have performed well in PSL 10, currently holding second place on the points table with two wins from three matches.
Islamabad United sit at the top, remaining unbeaten with four wins in as many games.
Lahore Qalandars’ next challenge will be against Mohammad Rizwan’s Multan Sultans in match 12 of PSL 10, set to take place at the Multan Cricket Stadium on April 22.
The buzz around these unique gifts has gone viral online, with fans drawing comparisons between PSL and IPL reward traditions.
Over in the IPL, teams like Mumbai Indians have made a habit of handing out stylish sunglasses to players as part of their locker room celebrations in the 2025 season.
