IPL 2025: PBKS-DC match in Dharamsala abandoned due to floodlight failure

According to PTI, the decision was taken after air raid alerts were issued in the nearby cities of Jammu and Pathankot

Match number 58 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association in Dharamsala went anything but smoothly. After being initially delayed by 60 minutes due to rain, the match was abandoned after 10.1 overs in the first innings following a floodlight failure as initially reported. However according to PTI, the decisoon was taken after air raid alerts were issued in nearby cities of Jammu and Pathankot. The security situation, linked to India’s ongoing military conflict with Pakistan, has cast uncertainty over the continuation of the tournament. operational.  However, there is no official communication has been done from BCCI reagrding the issue.    

 

 

Match Halted After Bright Start by Punjab

 

Before the disruption, Punjab Kings were cruising at 122 for 1 in 10.1 overs. Openers Prabhsimran Singh (50 off 28 balls) and Priyansh Arya (70 off 34 balls) had given the team a blazing start before Arya fell to pacer T Natarajan. Initially, the interruption was believed to be due to floodlight failure, which came shortly after a delayed start caused by rain. 

Floodlights Fail, Blackout Follows

 

Shortly after the match began under overcast conditions, the hill town of Dharamsala plunged into darkness. While the initial assumption pointed to a technical fault with the floodlights, it soon became clear that the issue was part of a wider power shutdown. According to PTI it was later confirmed that a blackout had been enforced in several regions, including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Mohali, and Chandigarh, due to air raid alarms and explosion-like sounds reported in Jammu.

 

Evacuation of Stadium Amid Air Raid Alerts

 

With the situation escalating, both teams and the spectators—estimated at around 18,000 in the 23,000-capacity venue—were evacuated from the stadium as a precautionary measure. “There was no panic from the spectators. They were moved out of the stadium very carefully and safely,” a Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) source told PTI.

  After the floodlights went off, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal was also seen requesting fans to leave the stadium.  Check full video here: 

IPL Chairman requesting fans to leave the Dharamshala Stadium. pic.twitter.com/NhX03h0Ys3

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 8, 2025

  

Tensions Escalate as IPL Future Hangs in the Balance

  In light of these developments, the fate of the remainder of the IPL season is now in question. A high-level BCCI meeting is currently underway, with additional pressure mounting from foreign players expressing concerns over their safety in the country.   As of now, there is no official word from the IPL governing body regarding the next steps. With security being paramount and military tensions showing no immediate signs of de-escalation, the league faces the grim possibility of suspension or cancellation.