‘Had to evacuate spectators without…’ – IPL chairman Arun Dhumal reveals thoughts on fans safety after abandonment of PBKS vs DC game

IPL 2025 has been suspended for a week due to the rising tensions between India and Pakistan along the border. The Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals game in Dharamshala was halted after just 10.1 overs as the light towers were suddenly shut off. IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal played a key role in evacuating the fans from the stadium. 

Arun Dhumal recently spoke to PTI and revealed that he wanted the fans to move out of the stadium securely. IPL Chairman also said that he didn’t want the people to panic and create a stampede-like situation. The game had come to a halt after the wicket of Priyansh Arya with Punjab Kings batting first. 

“When the public address system announced that the floodlights would be turned off, people were reluctant to leave. I had to ensure that the evacuation of spectators happened without pressing the panic button. We didn’t want a stampede-like situation,” said Arun Dhumal to PTI. 

‘Crowd responded positively to our requests’ – Arun Dhumal praises fans

In his chat with PTI, Arun Dhumal also said that there was a vast difference between IPL getting halted in 2021 to the current scenario. Four years ago, IPL was stopped after just 29 games due to the second wave of COVID-19. The second half of the tournament was later played in the UAE ahead of the 2021 T20 World Cup. 

Mr. Dhumal also praised the fans for their support while the evacuation was taking place and said, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we faced the huge challenge of stopping the tournament midway. However, this time the situation was different, as we had to stop a live game to adhere to security protocols. Ensuring that everything happened smoothly in the quickest possible time was a challenge. But the dedicated crowd responded positively to our requests”

While speaking about the local authorities, IPL chairman said to PTI, “The match was incredibly exciting, especially with how Punjab were batting. The success of the entire evacuation exercise was largely due to the exceptional support we received from the local police and district administration. They did a splendid job.”

Finally, Mr. Dhumal also revealed that he had spoken to officials of both teams in order to ensure the players weren’t scared of the happenings. “It was during the first strategic timeout that I was informed about the blackout protocol. Time was tight, but I quickly alerted the top officials from both DC and Punjab management. I told them to ensure that players don’t get scared. I also had to ensure that the crew and others working for the broadcasters also leave the stadium. It was my duty,”