RCB Players and Staff Safely Return Home Amid IPL 2025 Tensions

Safe Return of RCB Team

New Delhi: The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) announced that their players and support staff have returned safely to Bengaluru as of Saturday. Following their arrival, they have all departed for their individual residences.

Originally, RCB was scheduled to compete against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium on Friday evening. However, the match was postponed as the BCCI decided to suspend IPL 2025 for a week due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

In a statement shared on social media, the franchise expressed gratitude for the prompt coordination and assistance from the BCCI, local authorities, and police, which facilitated their safe return. The post included images of players such as Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal, and Josh Hazlewood.

Earlier on Friday, a special Vande Bharat train transported players and support staff from Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC), along with match officials, commentators, and other essential personnel, safely to New Delhi from Dharamshala.

The IPL 2025 match between PBKS and DC was halted after just 10.1 overs due to air and drone strikes from Pakistan, which caused power outages in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur, areas close to the hill station.

Once the match was called off, players and staff from both teams, along with other personnel in Dharamshala, returned to their hotels under strict security measures.

Given that Dharamshala is a no-fly zone, similar to other cities in North India, the BCCI and Indian Railways arranged for those stranded in Dharamshala to travel to Jalandhar by bus and then board their train to New Delhi. Currently, all individuals who arrived in New Delhi on Friday night are making their way home to various cities in India and abroad.