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The IPL encounter between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was abandoned midway on Thursday after air raid warnings were issued in nearby regions, including Jammu and Pathankot, casting serious doubt over the continuation of the tournament amid escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan.
New Delhi: The IPL encounter between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was abandoned midway on Thursday after air raid warnings were issued in nearby regions, including Jammu and Pathankot, casting serious doubt over the continuation of the tournament amid escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan.
At the time of the stoppage, Punjab was cruising at 122 for 1 in 10.1 overs. Initially, the interruption was believed to be caused by a floodlight malfunction. The game had already seen a delayed start due to earlier rainfall before the entire hill city experienced a temporary blackout.
For safety reasons, both players and spectators were escorted out of the venue. The scenic stadium, which holds around 23,000 fans, was nearly 80 percent full when the evacuation took place.
“There was no panic from the spectators. They (spectators and players) were moved out of the stadium very carefully and safely,” a Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association source told PTI.
As spectators exited the stadium, many were heard chanting slogans against Pakistan. At the time play was suspended, Prabhsimran Singh remained unbeaten on 50 from 28 balls, while his opening partner Priyansh Arya had earlier struck a brisk 70 off 34 deliveries before being dismissed by pacer T Natarajan.
Both teams, along with their support staff, are set to be transported to Delhi via a special train departing from Pathankot, which lies roughly 85 kilometers from Dharamsala. They will make the journey to Pathankot by road.
Currently, air operations have been suspended at Dharamsala’s only airport as well as those in nearby Kangra and Chandigarh, as a safety precaution in response to possible Pakistani threats.
Following the abandonment of Thursday night’s match, uncertainty now looms over the continuation of the Indian Premier League. It is understood that the BCCI is holding an emergency meeting to assess the situation, especially after growing security concerns expressed by overseas players.
According to sources, several foreign cricketers are reportedly eager to leave the country as soon as possible.
India’s recent missile strikes on terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir came two weeks after the deadly Pahalgam attack on April 22 that claimed 26 lives.
On Thursday, blackouts were enforced across several regions, including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Mohali, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, following air raid sirens and unconfirmed reports of loud blasts near Jammu.
The IPL calendar has already begun to shift due to the escalating situation. The May 11 fixture between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings, originally scheduled for Dharamsala, has now been relocated to Ahmedabad.
The match scheduled for Thursday between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings in Rawalpindi was called off after Pakistan’s military reported that Indian drones had been shot down over several cities in Pakistan.
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