Australian cricketer Alyssa Healy has opened up about the tense and surreal experience in Dharamsala during the IPL 2025 season, when a security threat forced an emergency evacuation of players and support staff. Speaking on the Willow Talk podcast, Healy recalled the confusion and panic that unfolded as stadium lights abruptly went out and whispers of a missile attack spread.
"It was a surreal experience,” Healy said. “All of a sudden a couple of the light towers went out and we were just sitting there up the top waiting... the next minute the guy who wrangles the group of us came up and his face was white. He was like, 'We need to go right now'."
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As confusion grew, panic set in.
"Then another guy came out, his face was white too, and he grabbed one of the children and said, 'We need to leave right now'. We weren't told anything. We had no idea. Next minute, we were being shuffled into a room – like a holding pen. All the boys were in there. Faf [du Plessis] didn’t even have shoes on."
The chaos was triggered by a serious security situation on May 8, when Pakistan reportedly attempted to breach Indian airspace near Chandigarh, not far from the match venue in Dharamsala. The BCCI later confirmed that the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match was abandoned due to the incident and that the entire league was temporarily suspended.
Healy, who was accompanied by husband and Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc , said the atmosphere turned from confusion to fear as the real danger became clearer.
"I said to Mitch, 'What's going on?' He said the town 60 kilometres away had just been smacked by some of the missiles, so there was a complete blackout. That’s why the lights were off — the Dharamsala stadium was like a beacon at that point."
Eventually, players and families were packed into vans and transported back to safety.
“There was madness,” Healy said. “We ended up going south-west towards the border which was a little bit terrifying. On our way out, we saw Indian preparations for war. It felt serious.”
Quiz: Who's that IPL player?
The IPL has since resumed following extensive consultations with government and security agencies. The BCCI released a revised schedule confirming the league would restart on May 17 with the high-profile Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings clash in Bengaluru.
The abandoned PBKS vs DC fixture has now been rescheduled for May 24 and will be played in Jaipur. The league stage will be hosted across six venues: Bengaluru, Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai, with the playoffs to follow from May 29 to June 3.
"It was a surreal experience,” Healy said. “All of a sudden a couple of the light towers went out and we were just sitting there up the top waiting... the next minute the guy who wrangles the group of us came up and his face was white. He was like, 'We need to go right now'."
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
As confusion grew, panic set in.
"Then another guy came out, his face was white too, and he grabbed one of the children and said, 'We need to leave right now'. We weren't told anything. We had no idea. Next minute, we were being shuffled into a room – like a holding pen. All the boys were in there. Faf [du Plessis] didn’t even have shoes on."
The chaos was triggered by a serious security situation on May 8, when Pakistan reportedly attempted to breach Indian airspace near Chandigarh, not far from the match venue in Dharamsala. The BCCI later confirmed that the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match was abandoned due to the incident and that the entire league was temporarily suspended.
Healy, who was accompanied by husband and Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc , said the atmosphere turned from confusion to fear as the real danger became clearer.
"I said to Mitch, 'What's going on?' He said the town 60 kilometres away had just been smacked by some of the missiles, so there was a complete blackout. That’s why the lights were off — the Dharamsala stadium was like a beacon at that point."
Eventually, players and families were packed into vans and transported back to safety.
“There was madness,” Healy said. “We ended up going south-west towards the border which was a little bit terrifying. On our way out, we saw Indian preparations for war. It felt serious.”
Quiz: Who's that IPL player?
The IPL has since resumed following extensive consultations with government and security agencies. The BCCI released a revised schedule confirming the league would restart on May 17 with the high-profile Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings clash in Bengaluru.
The abandoned PBKS vs DC fixture has now been rescheduled for May 24 and will be played in Jaipur. The league stage will be hosted across six venues: Bengaluru, Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai, with the playoffs to follow from May 29 to June 3.
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