IPL chairman Arun Dhumal recalled the evacuation process at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala after the match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) was called off midway due to security concerns. The decision to discontinue the game was taken after 10.1 overs in Punjab’s innings.
Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh gave PBKS a flying start with a 122-run opening partnership. However, soon after Priyansh was dismissed, one of the floodlights at the venue went off. Subsequently, more floodlights failed as the crowd began evacuating the stadium.
The match was halted after Pakistan attempted drone attacks near Chandigarh. Dhumal stated that his responsibility was to ensure the crowd exited the venue safely and calmly, without triggering panic.
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“…when the announcement was made on the public address system about floodlights going off, people didn’t want to leave. We had to ensure that the evacuation of spectators happened without pressing the panic button. We couldn’t have allowed a stampede,” Dhumal told PTI in an interview.
“…you need to understand that the match was very exciting in the manner Punjab was batting…The entire operation wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the local police and district administration. They did a splendid job.”
‘Had to ensure players don’t get scared or panicky’
Dhumal also recalled the 2021 IPL season, which was halted midway and later relocated from India to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, he noted that the recent incident was different, as it involved the unprecedented challenge of stopping a live match due to security concerns.
“…we had big challenge during COVID-19 when tournament was stopped midway. But yesterday’s challenge was different as we had to stop a live game due to security protocol,” Dhumal said.
“Ensuring that everything happened smoothly in the quickest possible time was a challenge. But we had an abiding crowd that also responded to our call.”
“It was during the first strategic timeout that I was intimated about the blackout protocol. We had little time but I quickly informed the top officials of both DC and Punjab management that lights will go off in some time and how we are planning to do it.
“I spoke to them and told them to ensure that players don’t get scared or panicky. I had to also ensure that the crew and others working on the game also safely leave the stadium. It was my duty,” Dhumal added.
The BCCI, in the meantime, has released a statement where it said that the IPL has been postponed for seven days. As the IPL stays halted, Gujarat Titans are at the top of the table with Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals have already been knocked out.
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