Returning to the cricket league after 5 years, Ali Zafar’s sports anthem may be the latest but certainly not new<\/p>\n
After much commotion, Pakistani singer Ali Zafar has reprised his role as the voice for Pakistan Super League\u2019s official song. Titled Khul Ke Khel<\/em>, the anthem for the cricket league\u2019s 9th edition dropped on Wednesday, marking Zafar\u2019s comeback after 5 years.<\/p>\n Lending his voice to the first three PSL songs including the hit 2017 entry Ab Khel Jamey Ga<\/em>, which amassed over 22 million views on YouTube, Zafar\u2019s return to the league was much anticipated after the past few songs failed to generate hype. Partnering with Aima Baig, the anthem is an unmistakable pop song with a catchy chorus, set to celebrate a widely beloved sports – at least for those who haven\u2019t heard this all before.<\/p>\n To give credit where it\u2019s due, PSL\u2019s musical trend since inception has tried to match its dynamism with the cricket fever of the masses. Zafar’s 2016 and 2017 songs carried the oomph of your typical sports anthem, flaunting synth horns, anthemic drums and singing crowds tucked under layers of reverb. However, 2021 saw PSL making a 180-degree shift with Groove Mera<\/em>, an unexpected collaboration of Aima Baig, Naseebo Lal and the Young Stunners. The track turned the cricket league\u2019s gears to hip hop and modern pop influences, reflecting a more contemporary taste of the youth.<\/p>\n In the age of digital streaming, the perfect cricket song has a lot to get right, from animating stadiums to carving out a popular music taste across different demographics. For many recipients, Groove Mera<\/em>\u2019s innovative turn was felt at odds with the immersive aggression of fans in a cricket stadium.<\/p>\n 2022\u2019s Agay Dekh<\/em>\u2019s lasting saving grace turned out to be Atif Aslam\u2019s stardom but as many contended, it failed to assume a sportly aesthetic. Last year\u2019s anthem, Sab Sitaray Humaray<\/em> gathered big names in today\u2019s music scene with a bigger letdown. Not only did Asim Azhar, Faris Shafi, Shae Gill and Abdullah Siddiqui\u2019s collaboration not impress cricket enthusiasts, but each artist somehow managed to disappoint their respective fans.<\/p>\n With Zafar\u2019s 2024 comeback, it appears hip hop and electronica have officially been declared brief flirtations in the PSL anthem\u2019s journey. Not much can be said about Khul Ke Khel<\/em>, a song that will work for all the same reasons that Ab Khel Jamey Ga<\/em> did. The similar drumbeat, progression and melodic structure will likely evoke nostalgia for whom 7 years is a long time and boredom for those who remember.<\/p>\n
\nKARACHI:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n