New delhi: On may 8, when the floodlights were went off in Dharamsala And the match came to an abrupt halt, Arvinder Singh Negi, The Head of Logistics and Travel Operations at Delhi capitalsMurmured, “Not Again! Come on!”The stadium lights went off in the 11th over due to the security situation in Pathankot, roughly 90 kms from dharamsala.Go beyond the boundary with our youtube channel. Subscribe now!Panic gripped the players from both teams in the dugout and the faces of family members of players and support staff turned pale in the stands. Negi’s mind instantly went back to 2020 when he was overseing travel operations for the board of control for cricket in India (BCCI). The first Odie Between India and South Africa was washed out without
“Back then, The Global Situation Was Precarious. Covid-19 Had Begun Its Spread. The match was called off, and we receive instruments from the bcci that the series was likely to be canceled. Were asked to self-isolate. Thankfully, The Dharamsala Airport was operational, and we transported Timesofindia.com.“It was a unique situation, but everything proceeded smoothly. However, What Happened on May 8 was Absolute Chaos,” He Adds.
Mayhem took over when the floodlights are off but for negi & co, it wasn’t the time to panic but to ensure safety and immediative plan of action.“No one knew what to do initialy. First, there was a plan to take the team to una. Take the players back to the team hotel, potentially making them a target. “An idea was floated to take the players to jalandhar by road, which was unsafe considering it’s a downhill drive from dharamsala. after the match was called off). Delhi, “Negi narrated.For Vikram Hastir, The Punjab Kings Team Manager, it was just another day at the office.“During the IPL, we Always have plan a, plan b, and plan c active. The players were evacuated swiftly,” He Tells TELLS TIMESOFINDIA.COHowever, Hastir Echoed Negi’s Sentiments Regarding Dharamsala as a venue.“And Dharamshala, I’ll Tell You, is a logistical nightmare. It’s good for the fans, the players, and the media to cover, play, or watch the game with the magnificent dhauladhar range as a back for Us, IT’s Certainly Not a Holiday Destination, “He Chuckles.“I manage a contingent of around 100 people. No larger aircraft can land there. Aircraft have limited load capacity and cannot carry much baggage. So, the bagge has to go by surface. Aircraft at Dharamsala Cannot Land or Take Off with a Full Load. Therefore, we have to prioritise passengers. Priority Basis, “He explains.
A team Swifts through Player Luggage for the Punjab Kings. (Image: Special Arrangement)
Despite all the challenges and hiccups, Hastir maintained that his team is prepared to face them, having done so for years. The only time he loses his tempera is when someone’s kit bag is left behind.“Last Year, We We WE WERE BENGALUDE, And We Misplaced Shikhar Dhawan’s (Captain of punjab kings) I Lost My Temper. But You Know, We’re Human;Every Team Goes about differently as far as Logistics are concerned but the unsung heroes continue to work overtime to ensure players, support staff and familyies moovie matities with easers.In Most Instances, Luggage Arrives at the destination a day before the match. Players’ kits are sent directly from the stadium to the airport. Once the Players Reach the Hotel, A ‘BAGS OUT’ message is shared in the Whatsapp group. Players usually fly ut a day after the match with flys penciled in for late afternoon or evening.While Most Teams Prefer Commercial Flights, Gujarat Titans Prefer to Travel on Charters. “The idea is to make players comfortable. Since our first season, we only travel on charter flights. It costs us more, but it offers significant convenence,” Colonel ARVINEL ARVINEL ARIVINEENCE, ” Operating Officer (COO) of the Gujarat Titans, Tells Timesofindia.com.
File photo of Virat Kohli at an Airport. (Image: x)
“But kudos to the operations team; it’s not easy.The game of cricket might be played on 22 yards, but it is the logistics personnel who are, in the true sense, the unsung heroes for over two months in the ipl.“We are the humans of the ipl. We always work on the road,” Arvinder Negia Aptly Sums it up.
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