IPL 2025: How PBKS and DC players will be evacuated from Dharamsala

The safety of Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) players has become the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) top priority as arrangements are being made to safely remove the athletes and the broadcast crew to a safe zone. PBKS and DC were involved in an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala on Thursday, which was called off midway amid a security threat.

Officially, the IPL match was called off due to “technical failure” as floodlights were switched off, but it’s quite clear the game was halted as Pakistan launched missiles and drone attacks on Indian cities on the northwestern border of India, not far from Dharamsala.

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BCCI to arrange train for IPL players

Besides safely evacuating the fans from the stadium and switching off the floodlights, the PBKS and DC players were taken to the hotel. Some of the players were uneasy due to the situation and there are reports that some of the overseas cricketers want to go back home.

However, currently the focus is firmly on removing the Punjab and Delhi players to a safe zone at a time when the airport is shut down in Dharamsala due to security issues.

As per a report in the Times of India, a special train will be arranged to get the players, coaches and Star Sports broadcast crew out of Dharamsala and to a safe location. This was confirmed to the newspaper by BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla.

“We are organising a special train from close to Dharamsala to bring everybody home safely. As of now, the match has been called off and the stadium has been evacuated. We will take a call on the tournament’s future depending on the situation tomorrow. As of now, players’ safety is utmost important. The match couldn’t have continued tonight because of the situation. It wasn’t safe,” Shukla said.

It has to be noted that there’s no clarity on when they will leave Dharamsala.

Meanwhile, the rising tension between India and Pakistan has put a question mark over the remaining matches of IPL 2025. The IPL governing council may meet today and take a final call. However, a lot will depend on the instructions from the Indian government.