India, Sept. 13 -- National song Vande Mataram was played immediately after the national anthem Jana Gana Mana before the start of India's first T20 International against Afghanistan here on Sunday, marking its first such use at an international sporting event.

Penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the national song was played in its complete six-stanza version at the Arun Jaitley Stadium following a directive of the Union Home Ministry.

The national anthem lasted 52 seconds, while the official rendition of Vande Mataram lasted three minutes and 10 seconds, taking the combined duration of the two to four minutes and two seconds.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had on February 6 issued guidelines for the rendition of Vande Mataram as par...