Blackout halts match in Dharamshala: 'Bombs coming' - IPL cheerleader recalls panic

A cheerleader working at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 shared a terrifying experience on Thursday after a sudden blackout in Dharamshala led to the suspension of the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals. The match, held at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, was called off during the first innings after just 10.1 overs of play.

The disruption came as air raid alerts were issued in parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab due to cross-border tensions with Pakistan. Panic quickly spread through the 23,000-capacity stadium as security officials began evacuating players, staff, and spectators.

A video that quickly went viral showed one of the cheerleaders describing the chaos and fear in the stadium. “The whole stadium was evacuated in the middle of the game. It was very scary. Everyone was screaming that the bombs are coming," she said in the video.

“It is still very, very scary. We want to really go out of Dharamshala. I hope the IPL people are gonna look after us. It was very, very scary. I do not know why I’m not crying, I think I’m just in shock," she said in the video as the stadium went dark.

Security forces quickly moved everyone to safety amid confirmed drone strike attempts by Pakistan in areas including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Both IPL teams were later moved under tight security and were expected to be flown to Delhi via a special flight from Pathankot, located about 85 kilometres from Dharamshala.

IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal told reporters that the situation is being closely monitored. “It’s an evolving situation. We haven’t received a directive from the government yet. The final decision will be taken keeping safety and logistics in mind,” he said.

Following Pakistan’s failed but provocative attempts, blackouts were enforced in several sensitive areas, including Srinagar, Jammu, Rajouri, Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Bhuj.