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The high-voltage clash between the Punjab Kings and the Delhi Capitals match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (H.P.C.A) Stadium in Himachal Pradesh amid the rising tensions between neighbouring countries India and Pakistan.

The top 4 clash between the Punjab Kings and the Delhi Capitals was played at the H.P.C.A Stadium despite the War situation in Jammu and Kashmir and neighbouring states.

The H.P.C.A Stadium in Himachal Pradesh plays host to Punjab Kings matches in the IPL. They were scheduled to host 2 matches at the venue, against the Delhi Capitals and the Mumbai Indians. The later match though, has been shifted to Ahmedabad.

What Happened During PBKS vs DC?

The Punjab Kings vs the Delhi Capitals match was played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Himachal Pradesh.

It was the Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer who won the toss and opted to bat first. Both Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh gave the side a flying start. The duo added 122 runs for the opening wicket before Arya was dismissed for 70 runs by T Natarajan on 10.1 overs.

But after the wicket of Priyansh Arya, as the PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer was entering the ground, the floodlights at the venue went off one by one. Initially, it was thought to be a floodlight failure, as it is not a rare commodity at the venue.

Soon, scenes were witnessed when the players went off the field while the security personnel at the venue started evacuation process.

“The northeast floodlight went off just as Shreyas Iyer came in and there was a delay in the game. Then the eastern floodlight went off. Once the second floodlight went off, the players were leaving the field. Immediately, the guards came up to us and told us to leave. They didn’t tell us that the match was cancelled, they told us to leave,” a fan was quoted as saying by IndiaToday.

“I think this was very, very smart. No announcements regarding the evacuation or security concerns were made. They turned off one floodlight first and then said floodlight failure, so please leave. So no one panicked and everyone left in a very orderly manner. Had they announced it was a security concern, there would have been a fear of a stampede,” another fan added.

Visuals were also seen of the IPL chairman Arun Dhumal requesting the fans to leave the stadium as the fans were still uncertain as to what really happened.

A viral video is also doing rounds on social media, in which an IPL cheerleader recorded the moments when the lights slowly turned off. She mentioned how scary it is and hoped that BCCI will soon get them out of Dharamsala.

Players evacuation

As soon as Priyansh Arya got out, the floodlights started to go off one by one. When the game was called off, the broadcaster stated that “significant technical failure at the HPCA Stadium.”

However, later IPL chairman Arun Dhumal confirmed to news agencies that the PBKS vs DC match has been “called off as a precautionary measure, based on the red alert issued in Jammu.“

The Indian Express added in their report that the evacuation was done so quickly that “some of the players even reached the hotel while still having their pads on.“

Vande Bharat Train Arranged for Players Evacuation

Meanwhile, the BCCI has arranged a special Vande Bharat Train to transport the Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals players, support staff, and their family members from Dharamsala to Delhi in the wake of the transportation crisis and airports closed. A BCCI source added that around 300 people will be boarding the premium train.

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