Super 4 of the 2023 Asia Cup: Bharat, not India vs. Pakistan! Social media is trending with #BHAvsPAK instead of #INDvsPAK

There is debate regarding who will face Pakistan in the Super 4 match of the Asia Cup on Sunday at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo: India or Bharat.

Since it became public that President Draupadi Murmu had used the name on the invitation to a luncheon for international leaders attending the G20 meeting in the nation’s capital over the weekend, the debate over the country’s name has taken center stage.

In his opening comments to the two-day summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared himself to be the representative of “Bharat” at the G20 Summit.

It sparked a social media verbal battle in which both the opposition and the leaders of the governing party participated.

In response, former opener Virender Sehwag demanded that Bharat be placed in lieu of India on the player’s jerseys for the forthcoming 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, which would begin later this month.

The Rohit Sharma-led team began to be referred to as Bharat on social media in addition to India, to the point where the hashtag “BHAvsPAK” began to trend more than “INDvsPAK.”

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.

India had been asked to bat first and had completed 147-2 in 24.1 overs when the game was stopped by rain. When rain pulled players from the field and the rains quickly became heavy, Virat Kohli, on eight, and KL Rahul, who was returning, on seventeen, were at the crease.

Before leg-spinner Shadab Khan and left-arm fast Shaheen Shah Afridi sent them back, the first wicket partnership of captain Rohit (56), Shubman Gill (58), and 121 runs was broken.

Since the first encounter between the two teams in the group stage was postponed due to rain in Pallekele, the organizers have sneaked in a last-minute reserve day for the match, which is the only one to get an advantage in the Super Fours.