Its cricket season again as all enthusiasts awaited the return of Pakistan Super League’s 9th edition. As per tradition since the league’s founding in 2017, the official PSL anthem for 2024 was also unveiled, marking singer Ali Zafar’s comeback as the cricket song crooner. The anthem titled Khul Ke Khel has captivated fans with its catchy beats and spirited lyrics, becoming a trending topic across various online platforms. Zafar, who also sang the first three PSL songs including Ab Khel Jamay Ga, teamed up with singer Aima Baig for the track which has garnered over 750,000 views on YouTube and is number 4 on trending, so far.
Despite the buzz preceding the anthem’s release, its reception so far has been divided. One of the users on the microblogging platform X exclaimed, “Imagine running a campaign for years to make a silly song and the other party agreeing to make half the country's population mad and running into a PR disaster to let you do it. Only to come up with a song that sounds like it should have been released in 2001.” However, others not only enjoy Khul Ke Khel but also appear baffled at the criticism. “It is actually good,” insisted a fan while another celebrated Zafar’s return with joy. “Ali Zafar never disappoints. Finally a better anthem in recent years.”