Dharamsala, 19 February 2025 – Dharamsala will host three Indian Premier League (IPL) matches this May, with Punjab Kings playing against Lucknow Super Giants on May 4, Delhi Capitals on May 8, and Mumbai Indians on May 11.
Local hotel associations have welcomed the decision, seeing it as a boost for tourism.
“Two of the matches are on Sundays, which will draw more tourists for the weekend,” said Ashwani Bamba, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Kangra district.
Dharamsala hosted two IPL matches last year, both of which saw full stadiums and packed hotels.
Despite the enthusiasm around cricket, broader sports tourism projects in Dharamsala have struggled to take off.
While successive governments have spoken about promoting the sector, progress has been limited to matches at the international cricket stadium.
Anurag Thakur, as Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, had proposed a high-altitude training center, but the project stalled due to land acquisition issues.
A Sania Nehwal badminton academy was planned for the Sakoh area under the previous BJP government but failed due to disagreements between officials and Nehwal’s team.
The current government has now proposed an ice-skating rink on the same land.
Dharamsala does offer some facilities beyond cricket, including a synthetic athletic track managed by the Sports Authority of India, which attracts athletes for high-altitude training.
However, other proposed initiatives, such as a shooting academy, remain unrealized.
