The IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala delivered plenty of entertainment both on and off the field. After a breathtaking batting display from RCB in the first innings, spectators inside the stadium witnessed a grand laser and fireworks show during the mid-innings break.
However, amid the celebrations and musical performances, one particular visual from the light show quickly grabbed attention across social media platforms for the wrong reasons. Fans online noticed what appeared to be an inaccurate portrayal of India’s map during the presentation, leading to widespread criticism and debate online.
Controversy erupts over map displayed during Dharamsala light show
During the laser presentation, an outline resembling the map of India was projected inside an illuminated IPL trophy design. Soon after visuals from the show surfaced online, several users pointed out apparent geographical inaccuracies in the representation.
Many viewers claimed that parts of the country, including regions in the North East along with Jammu and Kashmir, did not appear correctly in the projection. Others also highlighted that the outline looked distorted around the Siliguri Corridor area, triggering criticism from fans on social media. Several users demanded clarification over the incident, while others called for the organisers to investigate whether the error occurred because of a technical issue during the projection mapping sequence.
Here’s the video:
𝗠𝗶𝗱-𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 like we’ve never seen before 🤩
🎥 A soulful musical performance followed by a captivating laser show in Dharamshala 🎶👏
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/9rs6u5obOw#TATAIPL | #Qualifier1 | #TheFinalLeap | #RCBvGT pic.twitter.com/P5SUA4SUkm
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 26, 2026
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Rajat Patidar headlines RCB’s dominant batting show
Before the controversy unfolded during the innings break, RCB had completely dominated the first half of the contest with the bat. Captain Rajat Patidar produced one of the finest playoff innings in IPL history, smashing an unbeaten 93 off just 33 deliveries.
RCB eventually piled up a massive 254/5 in 20 overs, the highest team total ever recorded in an IPL playoff game. Contributions from Devdutt Padikkal and Krunal Pandya further strengthened Bengaluru’s commanding position.
RCB storm into another IPL final
The Bengaluru bowlers later backed up the batting effort brilliantly by bowling Gujarat Titans out for 162. The comprehensive 92-run victory secured RCB a place in their second consecutive IPL final as they moved one step closer to defending their title successfully.
Despite the memorable on-field performance, much of the post-match online discussion revolved around the controversial visual shown during the Dharamsala light show.