Thankful to our Indian Government and Indian Army: Vipraj Nigam

ANI May 17, 2025 374 views

Delhi Capitals' Vipraj Nigam expressed gratitude to the Indian Army and government for ensuring the safe return of IPL teams after their match was canceled. A special Vande Bharat train was arranged to evacuate players from Dharamshala amid rising tensions. The BCCI suspended the league for a week before announcing a revised schedule. The remaining matches will be played across six venues, excluding Kolkata's Eden Gardens.

"Thankful to our Indian Government and Indian Army who brought us home safely" – Vipraj Nigam
New Delhi, May 17: Delhi Capitals (DC) all-rounder Vipraj Nigam praised the Indian Army and the Government of India for helping the DC and Punjab Kings teams return safely from Dharamshala after their IPL 2025 match was called off due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan.

Key Points

1

IPL match canceled due to India-Pak tensions

2

Special Vande Bharat train arranged for players

3

BCCI suspends league for a week

4

Revised schedule announced with 17 matches

The much-awaited game between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium was cancelled midway through the first innings on Thursday night.

Following the cancellation, a special Vande Bharat train was arranged at short notice to bring all players and support staff back to New Delhi.

"Everyone knows what the situation was, there were some people from the Indian Army in our team. A lot of people came who helped us out. To take us home. So the whole situation was a little normal in the beginning. But after that, they made arrangements for us very easily. The Indian Government and the Indian Army did everything for us. But whatever it was, all that happened in the past. But thankful to our Indian Government and Indian Army. Who brought us home safely?" Vipraj Nigam said in the pre-match press conference.

BCCI suspended the cash-rich league for a week in the wake of the cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. BCCI on Monday announced the resumption of the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and revealed the schedule for the remaining 17 fixtures.

A total of 17 matches will be played across six venues, starting May 17, and culminating in the final on June 3. The revised schedule includes two double-headers, which will be played on two Sundays.

The six venues that have been selected are Bengaluru, Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Kolkata's Eden Gardens, which was set to host the final, was missing from the list of venues.

A look at the 17 fixtures of IPL 2025: May 17: RCB vs KKR (Bengaluru)

May 18: RR vs PBKS (Jaipur), DC vs GT (Delhi)

May 19: LSG vs SRH (Lucknow)

May 20: CSK vs RR (Delhi)

May 21: MI vs DC (Mumbai)

May 22: GT vs LSG (Ahmedabad)

May 23: RCB vs SRH (Bengaluru)

May 24: PBKS vs DC (Jaipur)

May 25: GT vs CSK (Ahmedabad), SRH vs KKR (Delhi)

May 26: PBKS vs MI (Jaipur)

May 27: LSG vs RCB (Lucknow)

May 29: Qualifier 1

May 30: Eliminator

June 1: Qualifier 2

June 3: Final.

Reader Comments

Here are 6 diverse Indian perspective comments for the article:
R
Rahul K.
Salute to our armed forces! 🇮🇳 While cricket is important, national security comes first. Glad the government acted swiftly to ensure players' safety. Shows why we should always trust our jawans and officials in such situations.
P
Priya M.
As a cricket fan, I'm disappointed about the match cancellation but safety is paramount. The Vande Bharat arrangement shows India's capability to handle crises. Hope tensions ease soon so we can enjoy cricket without worries!
A
Arjun S.
While I appreciate the quick response, why was the match scheduled in Dharamshala given the ongoing tensions? BCCI should be more careful with venue selection near border areas. Safety protocols need to be stronger.
N
Neha T.
This incident reminds us how our soldiers work 24/7 to keep us safe. While we enjoy IPL matches, they're guarding our borders. Jai Hind! 🙏 The revised schedule looks exciting though - can't wait for Mumbai matches!
V
Vikram J.
Good decision to move matches away from border areas. But disappointed Kolkata lost the final - Eden Gardens is cricket's Mecca! Hope next season everything will be normal and we can have matches across all venues.
S
Sunita R.
The way our systems responded shows India's growing capability in crisis management. From railways to local administration - everyone worked together. Proud moment! Now let's focus on good cricket and peaceful relations 🤞

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Tags:
Vipraj Nigam IPL 2025 Indian Army Delhi Capitals Punjab Kings BCCI India-Pakistan tensions