IPL 2025: Amidst the India-Pakistan standoff for several days, an IPL match was abandoned for the first time yesterday (Thursday). The floodlights went off after Punjab Kings batted for 10.1 overs in a rain-affected match against Delhi Capitals. Later, along with rumors of a Pakistan attack, panic spread at the Dharamshala stadium. A video of an IPL cheerleader at the time has gone viral.
According to Indian media reports, Pakistan has carried out drone attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. At that time, panic spread in other parts of India as well. Himachal Pradesh is one of the areas targeted by Pakistan for possible attacks. An IPL match was being played in Dharamsala there yesterday. After the news of the attack spread, electricity was cut off in several parts of India, including that area. However, Pakistan has denied the attack allegations.
Meanwhile, the situation and panic in the Dharamsala stadium when the match was abandoned can be seen in a video of a cheerleader. At that time, the stadium was being asked to be evacuated. While leaving there, the cheerleader can be heard saying in the video, “The entire stadium is being evacuated in the middle of the match. This is very scary. Everyone is shouting, ‘Bombs are coming’.”
At the beginning of the video, the floodlights on one side of the stadium are seen turning on, but then they suddenly turn off. In the darkness, the cheerleader keeps saying, “It’s very, very scary here. We really want to leave the hospital. I hope the IPL people (officials) are also watching us. This is very scary. I don’t know why I’m not crying, I feel like I’m in a daze right now.”
ESPN Cricinfo reported that the IPL authorities have asked the stadium to be vacated due to security concerns. Therefore, the match has been declared abandoned. Earlier, the IPL authorities shifted a match scheduled for May 11 in Dharamsala to Ahmedabad. However, despite the ongoing worrying situation, the Punjab-Delhi match was being played in Dharamsala yesterday. The match started a little late due to rain. After 10.1 overs of the match, the floodlights were suddenly turned off. After that, the match was declared abandoned.
Punjab had scored 122 runs for 1 wicket before the game was called off. For them, opener Priyansh Arya scored 70 runs off 34 balls and Prabhsimran Singh scored 50 runs off 28 balls. The stadium in Dharamshala has a capacity of 23,000. There was a large crowd on the day. But they had to return in panic before the game ended.
