By Swapneel Deshpande 18 May 2025, 09:34 IST
Delhi Capitals spinner Vipraj Nigam praised the Indian Army and the Government of India for their quick action during a tense situation in Dharamshala. The IPL 2025 match between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the HPCA Stadium was abandoned due to security concerns caused by cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.
The game was first halted due to floodlight problems. Later, a regional blackout forced the officials to call off the match completely. Dharamshala is located close to the India-Pakistan border, and the situation escalated quickly.
PBKS were cruising at 122/1 in 10.1 overs when the authorities decided to evacuate both teams and the fans. The security risk was too high to continue.
Vipraj Nigam addressed the media before DC’s next match. He thanked the Indian Army and the government for ensuring their safe return from the troubled region.
“Everyone knows what the situation was and why it happened,” said Nigam. “Some Army personnel were with us. Many people helped us. Things were normal in the beginning, but then quick arrangements were made to bring us back.”
He added, “The Indian Army and Government did everything. It’s better not to call it an experience. But I’m grateful to them for bringing us home safely.”
After the match was called off, both teams were moved out of Dharamshala for safety. They traveled to Jalandhar railway station via Hoshiarpur. From there, a special Vande Bharat Express train took them to New Delhi under high security.
The IPL was paused for a week following the incident. The league resumed on May 17 with revised fixtures. The final is scheduled for June 3.
Punjab Kings are currently third in the points table, while Delhi Capitals, led by Axar Patel, are fifth. Both teams are still in the race for the playoffs.
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