Asia Cup 2023, Super 4: Bharat and Not India vs Pakistan! #BHAvsPAK Trending on Social Media Instead of #INDvsPAK – News18

Controversy over whether it is India or Bharat that is taking on Pakistan in the Super 4 clash of the Asia Cup at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.

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The discourse on the name for the country has taken centre-stage ever since it emerged that President Draupadi Murmu’s invitation, for a dinner invitation for foreign dignitaries attending the G20 summit in the national capital over the weekend, bore the name.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi identified himself as the leader representing ‘Bharat’ at the G20 Summit in his opening remarks at the beginning of the two-day meeting.

It triggered a war of words on social media, with leaders from the ruling party as well the opposition also weighing in on the matter.

Former opener Virender Sehwag too had put out his opinion on the matter, demanding that India should be replaced with Bharat on the player’s shirts for the upcoming 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, slated to start later next month.

Indian cricket fans also started to use the term Bharat on social media along with India to refer to the Rohit Sharma-led side, so much so that the hashtag ‘BHAvsPAK’ started trending more than ‘INDvsPAK’.

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Historians on Saturday had clarified that both the names Bharat and India, mentioned in Article 1 of the Constitution as “India, that is Bharat…”, are part of the country’s history and both names are “completely legitimate”, saying that historically at least five names — Bharat, India, Hindustan, Jambudweep and Aryavarta — have been used to designate this land on geographical, ecological, tribal, community basis and more.

As for the game, rain halted play with India on 147-2 in 24.1 overs after being invited to bat first. Virat Kohli, on eight, and returning KL Rahul, on 17, were at the crease when rain forced players off the field and the showers soon got heavy.

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Skipper Rohit, who hit 56, and Shubman Gill, who made 58, put on 121 runs for the opening wicket before leg-spinner Shadab Khan and left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi sent them back.

Organisers have slipped in a last-minute reserve day for the match — the only game to get the advantage in the Super Fours — after the previous group meeting between the two teams was washed out due to rain in Pallekele.

(With inputs from Agencies)