In a first-ever instance at an international sporting event, the national song Vande Mataram, penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, was played before the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana‘ ahead of India’s first T20 International against Afghanistan in New Delhi on Sunday (September 13, 2026).

As per the directive of the Union Home Ministry, all six stanzas were played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium with both national anthem (52 seconds) and national song (3 minutes and 10 seconds) taking a total of 4 minutes and two seconds.

According to BCCI sources, ‘Vande Mataram‘ will henceforth be played before the start of the first match of every home series.

“Vande Mataram will now be played at the start of every home series, before the start of first game,” a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

On February 6, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued guidelines governing the rendition of Vande Mataram as part of the 150th-anniversary commemorations of the national song.

The guidelines prescribed an official rendition lasting 3 minutes and 10 seconds and required everyone present to stand with attention while the song was being played.

They also approved the rendition of the complete six-stanza version at formal government functions attended by the President or Governors, before and after presidential addresses broadcast on radio and television, when the National Flag is brought on parade, and on other similar occasions.

The first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram‘ were chosen as the national song in 1937 by the Indian National Congress, while the Constituent Assembly of India recognized it as the ‘National Song’ since 1950.

Since this is the first time played on a sporting arena, it would be interesting to find out whether both the national anthem and national song are sung at the upcoming ICC events.