'Vande Mataram' sung before India vs Afghanistan in a first for national team

India and Afghanistan cricket teams before the first T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. (ANI)

New Delhi: For the first time ever, the national song, 'Vande Mataram', was sung before the match between India and Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. The national song was followed by the standard practice of national anthems of both countries.It must be mentioned here that 'Vande Mataram' was sung during the Delhi Premier League final also, which also took place at the same venue. Curiously, it was not played during other state leagues in Odisha and Punjab.

It has been learnt that it is going to be a practice going forward in matches involving the Indian team in India. "This is going to be followed in all events in India going forward. It is going to be a practice and it is not just about this stadium," said a source.

It comes on the heels of Parliament passing a bill that made any insult to the national song a punishable offence. The full official version of ‘Vande Mataram’ comprises six stanzas - which was sung before the first of the three match series.As the 150th anniversary of 'Vande Mataram' was celebrated, the Home Ministry had directed that all six stanzas must be sung when 'Jana Gana Mana' is also sung."The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 amends Section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. It extends the same legal protection to the National Song, Vande Mataram that is currently afforded to the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The amendment makes it an offence to intentionally prevent the singing of the National Song or to cause a disturbance to an assembly engaged in its singing," said a PIB statement in July.Prior to the teams taking the field for the national song and anthems, India skipper Shreyas Iyer had won the toss and chosen to field.