IPL
The rest of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has been put on hold temporarily. The move, made against the backdrop of the increased tensions at the borders between India and Pakistan, came after a high-level meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) leadership.
The BCCI has decided to suspend the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 as tensions between India and Pakistan increased on Thursday night following Operation Sindoor.
It is known that several options such as a potential venue change were considered before this decision was made. A formal statement is to be issued, but the announcement has been sent to all the franchises and other stakeholders.
The move comes at the heels of Thursday’s (May 8) suspended match between Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings in Dharamsala and in the midst of increasing unease among overseas players. With all possibilities on the table, the BCCI seems to have chosen a temporary suspension, keeping the safety and interests of all the stakeholders in mind.
Among the immediate issues was the safe transportation of the stakeholders. In its attempt to carry all stakeholders involved in the IPL, from teams and players to broadcast teams and other league officials, from Dharamsala to New Delhi, maximum secrecy is being ensured. The stakeholders were instructed to board the bus at their Dharamsala hotels but not informed as to where exactly they would board the train to Delhi from. They are at present in the bus with no idea of the final destination as of now.
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal had previously said that any other decision would be taken in consultation with the government. “We are examining the situation. It’s changing, and we have not received any directive from the government yet. Any decision will be taken considering all logistical aspects and the interests of stakeholders at large,” Dhumal had said.
IPL suspended
In the aftermath of the rapid rise in tension between India and Pakistan on Thursday evening, an avalanche of public voices on social media demanded a suspension of the current Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Now several reports indicate that the tournament has indeed been suspended. “IPL suspended indefinitely due to India-Pakistan military conflict,” a BCCI official reportedly said to the PTI. Official word from the BCCI is yet to come.
The IPL match between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), to be played in Dharamshala, was cancelled Thursday evening after the town suffered an unexpected blackout following reports of a drone and missile attack from Pakistan. The stadium had been evacuated as a precaution.
With Kangra airport — the closest one to the Dharamshala venue — shut for normal air traffic, reports indicate a special train was organized to transport players out of the area safely.
Responding to the situation, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal said on Thursday evening to PTI: “We are studying the situation as of now. It is an ongoing situation. We haven’t got any order from the government. Needless to say the decision will be taken considering all the logistics.
The most recent escalation started when Indian air defence shot down drones and missiles over Jammu. Shortly afterwards, there were reports of explosions in Punjab, Rajasthan, and other sensitive locations along the western border. The Ministry of Defence later established that the attempted attack came from Pakistan.
The developments came just a day after India launched Operation Sindoor, a military response targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
As the situation evolves, the future of IPL 2025 remains uncertain, with an official announcement from the BCCI still awaited.
