In a rare and thoughtful gesture, the Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings released an official statement on Friday, expressing gratitude to the BCCI for their swift coordination in safely relocating the team from Dharamsala to Delhi amid growing uncertainty at the India-Pakistan border. But beyond the note of thanks, the franchise also issued a sincere appeal to the media, urging responsible, fact-based coverage during this sensitive period.
The Punjab Kings were in action against Delhi Capitals on Thursday when chaos unfolded in Dharamsala. Batting first, PBKS had raced to 122 for 1 in the 11th over when a sudden floodlight failure disrupted the game. The situation escalated quickly, prompting officials to evacuate the HPCA Stadium as a precautionary measure. By Friday, the BCCI officially announced the suspension of IPL 2025 for a week, citing safety concerns.
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“We are pleased to share that all our players, coaching staff, and operations team members are safe,” the franchise noted in its statement. “A heartfelt thank you to the BCCI, IPL authorities, Indian Railways, the police forces, state officials, and our internal teams for ensuring the secure and timely movement of personnel from both Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals.”
Grateful to all for swift action ensuring everyone’s safety! 🙌🏻
Standing together – Desh ke Vaaste 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/o9R4RFxXxC
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 9, 2025
The statement went on to urge restraint from the media: “We humbly request all media outlets to maintain calm and stick to factual reporting. This is not a time for sensationalism or panic, but for measured response and perspective.”
To facilitate the evacuation, the Ministry of Railways arranged a special Vande Bharat train on extremely short notice. Kangra SP Shalini Agnihotri confirmed that the Kangra Police managed the initial convoy, with Punjab Police assuming responsibility once the team entered Hoshiarpur. The players were then moved to Jalandhar, where they boarded the train to Delhi.
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The suspension follows the tragic April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives and escalated tensions across the region. Once the situation stabilizes, the PBKS vs DC clash is expected to be rescheduled as part of the IPL’s resumption plan. One proposed window for restarting the league is later in May, should the security landscape improve.
