In a bid to ensure the safe evacuation of players and officials from Dharamsala following the abrupt cancellation of the IPL match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has arranged a special train to transport them to Delhi.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla confirmed the move, saying, “We are organising a special train to bring everybody home safely. As of now, the match has been called off and the stadium has been evacuated. The safety of the players, officials, and support staff is our top priority.”
The players and support staff of both the teams will now be brought to Delhi aboard a special train from Pathankot, which is about 85km from Dharamsala. The teams will reach Pathankot by road.
Dharamsala's lone airport and the ones in neighbouring Kangra and Chandigarh are closed for operation right now as part of precautionary measures to thwart Pakistani attacks.
The match, which had started late due to rain, was called off in the 11th over of PBKS’s innings after floodlights malfunctioned at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium.
Initially believed to be a technical glitch, the situation soon escalated to a full-blown blackout following air raid alerts in nearby areas, triggering security concerns in the region.
Following the disruption, players, support staff, and match officials were quickly escorted from the stadium, with IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal overseeing the evacuation.
“The future of the tournament will be discussed tomorrow, but for now, the priority is the safety of everyone involved,” Shukla added.
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