The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been suspended, initially for a week, due to concerns about the security situation in the country amid rising tensions along its border with Pakistan. The news came hours after the decision was taken to relocate the final fixtures in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to the United Arab Emirates due to safety concerns. Foreign-based players in India and all teams in Pakistan are expected to leave the countries over the next 24 hours.
Devajit Saikia, the secretary of the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), said in a statement that further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders. The decision was taken by the IPL governing council after due consultation with all key stakeholders following the representations from most of the franchisees, who conveyed the concern and sentiments of their players, and also the views of the broadcaster, sponsors, and fans. While the BCCI has full faith in the strength and preparedness of the armed forces, the board considered it prudent to act in the collective interest of all stakeholders.
Transport within India has been complicated by the closure of 27 airports over security concerns, including in the host city of Dharamsala. Thursday’s game there between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was abandoned after 10.1 overs, with the players and staff of the two teams rushed out of the ground. They mingled on each other’s coaches, with some still wearing their pads, before returning to Delhi by chartered train on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, Thursday’s PSL match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings was postponed amid claims that an Indian drone missile had damaged the area around the stadium in Rawalpindi where it was to be played. Mohsin Naqvi, chair of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), described the incident as “extremely irresponsible” and “reckless.”
The last time the IPL was shut down, when Covid flared up again in 2021, it resumed and concluded in the UAE that September, and a resumption later this year, after the conclusion of India’s Test series in England, is possible. India is due to play six white-ball matches in Bangladesh in August followed by the eight-team Asia Cup in September, which they are due to host – both of which are considered likely to be canceled, opening a possible window for the IPL to resume in the middle of the English summer, clashing with the Hundred and the knockout stages of the T20 Blast.
Ten English players are currently involved in the IPL: Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Phil Salt, and Reece Topley. Seven are playing in the PSL: Sam Billings, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, James Vince, David Willey, and Luke Wood.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/may/09/ipl-cricket-suspended-indefinitely-india-pakistan-tensions
