LAHORE: The official anthem of the fifth HBL-Pakistan Super League-2020 titled ‘Tayyar Hain’ was released for public through leading news channels here on Tuesday. A special ceremony to release the anthem was also held at a local hotel which was attended by PCB chairman Ehsan Mani and other key Board officials besides several cricketers and officials of the PSL franchises.

The PSL5 is to be held at four cities, Lahore, Karachi, Multan and Rawalpindi from Feb 20 to March 22.

Tayyar Hain, a song lasting five minutes, however, could not reflect the huge juncture in history of the league which for the first time will witness all 34 matches to be held in Pakistan.

The video also does not carry any highlights of previous matches of the PSL and participation of foreign cricketers in the last four editions of the PSL.

However, according to PCB, the video of ‘Tayyar Hain’ reflects the air of festivity gripping the entire nation with fans and supporters from all walks of life celebrating the home-coming of one of the most popular leagues on the planet.

‘Tayyar Hain’ is a collaboration of Pakistan’s rock icon Ali Azmat, folk music legend Arif Lohar, former Awaz singer Haroon Rashid and famous pop artist Asim Azhar. It has been produced by renowned musician Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan (Xulfi), while Kamal Khan of Laal Kabootar fame has directed the anthem video.

“A total of 22 instruments have been used in creating ‘Tayyar Hain’ including indigenous instruments such as tumba, chimta, rubab and harmonium, and the video also casts Pakistan star cricketers Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Rumman Raees, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood.

Prominent cricketers Shadab Khan, captain of Islamabad United, and Shan Masood who is leading Multan Sultans in the PSL-5 said they were much excited to display their performances in all the 34 matches of the league in front of the local crowd.

Shadab said he would play for the first time at his home ground at Rawalpindi Stadium while Shan said the main target of every player of Multan Sultans was to give their best to the team.

Ahmad Shahzad also said in fact the PSL will make a real beginning now when all of its matches will be held in Pakistan. He admitted that there is tough competition to get any place in the top order of the Pakistan team.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2020