Special Vande Bharat Train Evacuates PBKS-DC players from Dharamsala After Abandoned Match: WATCH

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Following the unexpected suspension of the IPL 2025 match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) in Dharamsala on Thursday, the Ministry of Railways stepped in with a swift response - organizing a special Vande Bharat train to evacuate the players, support staff, and broadcast crew involved in the fixture.

The game, which was halted midway through the first innings due to a significant technical failure that caused a major power outage, left the IPL contingent stranded in the hill town. With cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan leading to the temporary closure of the local airport, rail transport became the most viable option.

Acknowledging the situation, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla had earlier confirmed that the evacuation would be carried out via a special train. "The players and others involved in the encounter would be brought out of 'Little Lhasa' by a special train," he said.

On Friday, the IPL shared a video on its official social media handle, capturing players like Shreyas Iyer, Faf du Plessis, and commentators including Anjum Chopra and Graeme Swann boarding the train and heading toward New Delhi. The league also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Railways for the prompt and effective coordination.

"Thank you, @RailMinIndia, for arranging a special Vande Bharat train on such short notice to ferry the players, support staff, commentators, production crew members, and operations staff to New Delhi. We deeply appreciate your swift response," read the caption of the video shared on the IPL's 'X' (formerly Twitter) handle.

Delhi Capitals' spinner Kuldeep Yadav also lauded the efforts of the BCCI and Indian Railways, emphasizing the scale of the evacuation operation.

"Team members bohot hai, staff bohot hai. BCCI ke kaafi log, cameramen se leke jitne bhi technical log jure huye hai isme. Pura crew bohot bada hai aur jis tarah se manage kiya hai bohot accha tha. Main ekbar phirse thank you bolna chahta hu, BCCI plus Indian Railway ko," Kuldeep said.

The video has since been widely shared across platforms, serving as a reminder of the behind-the-scenes logistics that ensure the smooth functioning of the world's most-watched T20 league-even during times of national uncertainty.