On 23 March 2025, it was reported that the season's anthem is under final stage.[1] Two days later, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that Ali Zafar has joined in for the fifth time to record and release the anthem. However, Multan Sultans' owner Ali Tareen showed disappointment upon Zafar's repeated selection, stating to use other artists instead.[2][3] Soon after, the artist line-up was revealed. CEO PSL Salman Naseer said that these four artist will reflect four genres and vocal ranges from Pakistan, and the anthem is designed to celebrate the decade of the league.[4]
While Talha Anjum was previously featured in the anthem for the sixth season,[5] Abrar Ul Haq and Natahsa Baig are debuting[6] and have only performed once each in the opening ceremonies for the fifth and ninth seasons respectively.[7][8] Baig told that the reason PCB turns to Zafar is that the fans have consistently connected with his anthems making it his legacy. She showed excitement for strong female representation in the anthem.[9]
Release
The anthem was released on 2 April 2025 across multiple social media platforms.[10][11]
Opening ceremony
On 11 April 2025, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium hosted its first ever ceremony for the league's tenth season. Zainab Abbas presented the show, while Hamza Ali Abbasi delivered a speech. It was opened by a jet pack flyer, who handed the tournament's trophy to Salman Naseer on stage. The ceremony included "Qaumi Taranah" rendered by children from Surtaal Music Academy, Sufi performance by Abida Parveen, rap show by Young Stunners, and cultural act by Ali Zafar. Next, the title anthem was played with Zafar, Natasha Baig, Talha Anjum, and Abrar Ul Haq taking stage. The show was closed by fireworks.[12][13][14][15]
Reception
The anthem drew mixed reactions, with critics and audiences acknowledging some of its strong elements but criticising its execution.[11][16][17][18][19] While some praised the artists collaboration,[16] many argued it failed to meet expectations as a "decade-defining"[16] track despite pre-release hype.[18] While some noted Ali Zafar's dominant role,[16][17] yet others argued his performance did not match his earlier anthem standards.[11][18][19] Uneven contributions were highlighted, particularly Natasha Baig's limited vocal presence.[16][17] While some solely praised Talha Anjum's rap segment and Abrar Ul Haq's Punjabi segment,[18][19] others criticized their presence as disjointed rather than integrated.[16][18] The anthem's reliance on Punjabi lyrics and minimal regional representation sparked debates about its reflection of nationwide identity.[11][16] Additionally, the title phrase was questioned for its thematic relevance to cricket.[16]
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