India-Pakistan war: IPL 2025 future in limbo, says BCCI vice-president
Published: May 08, 2025, 18:14 IST | Updated: May 08, 2025, 18:14 IST
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Game number 58 in IPL 2025 between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was called off due to a 'significant technical failure', as confirmed by sources. Sports cricket
Minutes after IPL 2025 game number 58 between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was called off due to ‘significant technical failure’, as confirmed by an official source, the BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla shed light on what the future holds for this tournament this season and the players. Although floodlight failure was the reason behind this game getting called off, the fans were asked to evacuate the stadium immediately for security reasons.
Following a delayed start at the HPCA stadium in Dharamsala due to rain and a wet outfield, the hosts, Punjab, won the toss and elected to bat first. Taking the DC bowlers to cleaners from the word go, Punjab openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh added 122 for the first wicket inside the 11th over. However, shortly after Arya got out on 70, while PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer walked out to bat, a significant floodlight failure forced the BCCI and the IPL to call off the game immediately.
Also read | Operation Sindoor: England, Bangladesh players explore options to leave Pakistan midway through PSL 2025
However, there is another side to this story. While this game was underway in Dharamsala, Pakistan launched a barrage of drones and missiles on the Indian areas near the Pakistan border, including in Jammu and parts of Punjab and Rajasthan, escalating a war-like situation.
That, however, forced the organisers to call the game off, with the IPL chairman also requesting fans to evacuate the stadium safely. Though the videos of fans chanting ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ outside of the stadium premises made headlines, Rajeev Shukla’s words on whether the IPL 2025 should continue broke the internet.
Shukla also confirmed that the BCCI is working on arranging a special train for the players and the staff to leave the city soon, adding the players’ safety is paramount, and the BCCI couldn’t risk continuing this game due to the very reason.
"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 of utmost importance. The match couldn't have continued tonight because of the situation. It wasn't safe," says BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla.
Meanwhile, almost two weeks after Pakistan-based terrorists killed 26 innocent lives in India’s Kashmir, all tourists from the country and abroad, India carried out ‘Operation Sindoor’, aunching a series of precise strikes on nine selected targets in Pakistan and Pakised Occupied Kashmir (PoK), neutralising several terror camps and launchpads.