A special Vande Bharat train has brought players and staff from the Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals, along with other officials and crew linked to the canceled IPL 2025 game in Dharamshala, back to New Delhi from Jalandhar. Buses were waiting near Safdarjung Railway Station to take everyone to their hotels after they got off the train. Notable figures like KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Ricky Ponting were seen boarding their buses.
Kuldeep Yadav, a left-arm wrist-spinner for DC, expressed gratitude in a video shared on IPL’s social media, thanking the BCCI and Indian Railways for managing the situation well. The IPL match was halted after 10.1 overs due to air and drone strikes from Pakistan, leading to power outages in nearby areas. Once the game was called off, spectators exited calmly while players and staff returned to their hotels securely.
With Dharamshala being a no-fly area, BCCI officials were concerned about safely moving everyone out of the region. After discussions, they decided it was safer to travel from Dharamshala to Jalandhar by bus and then take the train to New Delhi. Thanks to the police and security teams, arrangements were meticulously set up for the journey.
The Indian Premier League acknowledged the Railways Ministry on social media, expressing gratitude for the prompt train arrangements. To maintain secrecy about their travel plans, details were kept under wraps until everyone reached New Delhi.
Earlier, the BCCI had suspended the IPL for a week due to rising tensions with Pakistan. With only 12 matches left in the league stage out of a total of 58, the future of the tournament hangs in the balance as the situation develops.
