LEEDS, 21 August 2026 (News Desk) — British singer Laura Wright won the hearts of Pakistani fans after performing Pakistan’s national anthem before the first Test between Pakistan and England in Leeds. Wright performed the national anthem without any musical accompaniment, using only her voice. Her performance was warmly received by Pakistani fans at the stadium, while a video of the rendition quickly gained attention on social media, where users praised her voice, pronunciation and style.Interestingly, Wright did not perform the anthem without preparation. She spent around six months learning Urdu to ensure that she could deliver the national anthem accurately. In an interview, the British singer said being invited to perform any country’s national anthem was a great honour for her, but Pakistan’s anthem proved particularly challenging. “Being asked to sing any national anthem is a huge honour for me and I never take it for granted,” she said. Wright added, “The Pakistani anthem really is a challenge. When I was asked to sing it, I thought about it quite a lot before agreeing because I wanted to make sure I could do it properly. I have been working on my Urdu for the last six months.”According to the singer, memorising the lyrics was not enough. She also wanted to understand the correct pronunciation, delivery and meaning of the words. “This isn’t someone saying, ‘Come and sing an ordinary song.’ It is much bigger than that. It is a huge honour for me and I hope I can do it justice,” she said. Following Wright’s performance in Leeds, Pakistani fans took to social media to express their views.  Many described her rendition as beautiful, while some users also shared differing opinions about her pronunciation and delivery of the anthem.Singing national anthems is not a new experience for Wright, who has performed anthems at various major events and international occasions. However, her decision to spend six months learning Urdu specifically for the Pakistani national anthem made the performance particularly meaningful.Despite the mixed reactions on social media, many Pakistani fans appreciated Wright’s effort to learn Urdu and understand the words of the national anthem. Her rendition of Pakistan’s national anthem before the start of the Test in Leeds thus became a memorable moment for Pakistani supporters.