DC, PBKS cricketers 'panicked' after Dharamsala IPL game called off, players were asked to go back to hotel immediately
A player revealed a sense of unease among both teams in the immediate aftermath of the game between PBKS and DC being called off in Dharamsala.
The Indian Premier League faces uncertainty after the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala was abandoned mid-way due to escalating border tensions. With just 10.1 overs bowled, the stadium floodlights were shut, and spectators were asked to evacuate amid rising concerns over aerial threats from across the border.
The decision, according to The Indian Express, came after the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association received an urgent call from a senior cricket official. Dharamsala is just 90 kilometers from Pathankot, one of the key sites hit by Pakistan's failed aerial attacks earlier in the day. The ground descended into confusion as light towers went off and players were hastily escorted off the field.
A player stated that the teams were asked to immediately move to the hotel, and admitted that there was “panic.”
“We were told about attacks in nearby Pathankot. We are asked to go back to the hotel immediately. There was some panic… Delhi Capitals were seated in the Punjab team bus and vice-versa. We wanted to go out but there was a huge crowd. The foreign players were worried, with many of them wanting to return home,” the player told The Indian Express.
IPL chairperson Arun Dhumal was seen at the boundary line, gesturing to fans to leave. Buses took the players straight to the team hotel; some still in their match gear, highlighting the urgency of the evacuation.
BCCI official on IPL
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla confirmed that the Board is assessing the situation. “We are monitoring the situation, seeking the Government’s advice, and will take the final decision on the IPL tomorrow,” he said on Thursday.
With airports shut across northern India, the BCCI has explored the possibility of moving teams by train. Franchises are in constant touch with overseas players and are prepared to arrange immediate departures for those unwilling to stay, according to the report.
On Thursday night, Pakistan launched air attacks on multiple Indian cities near the border area, including Jammu, Pathankot, and regions in Punjab and Rajasthan.
