India’s national song “Vande Mataram” is being sung at an international cricket match for the first time, ahead of India’s opening T20I against Afghanistan in New Delhi on Sunday. The song is performed as the teams line up on the field before the match begins, with fans also joining in at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, according to reports.
The match is part of a three-game T20I series played in Delhi from September 13 to 17, with all fixtures at Arun Jaitley Stadium. Free Press Journal and NDTV describe the moment as historic, while Times of India focuses on the song’s formal status in public events. Times of India also reports that Parliament has recently passed a bill that makes insults to “Vande Mataram” a punishable offence and provides legal protection similar to that for the national anthem. It adds that the full six-stanza version was sung during the match.
Other outlets emphasize the ceremonial and crowd-response aspect. Times of India ties the match performance to recent government guidelines on the song’s rendition, presenting the event as both sporting and policy-linked.
