The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been indefinitely suspended, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Friday, citing escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. This decision comes after growing uncertainty surrounding the tournament, particularly following the cancellation of Thursday’s match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala. That match was halted midway due to air raid alerts in the nearby cities of Jammu and Pathankot.
A BCCI official, speaking to PTI, stated, “It does not look nice that cricket goes on while the country is at war,” emphasizing the inappropriateness of continuing the league under the current circumstances. The IPL was originally scheduled to conclude on May 25 in Kolkata.
The suspension follows a period of heightened conflict, triggered by India’s missile attacks on alleged terror infrastructure within Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. These actions occurred approximately two weeks after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in 26 fatalities.
Adding to the atmosphere of crisis, Thursday saw blackouts enforced across several districts in Punjab, including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, and Mohali, as well as the Union Territory of Chandigarh. These measures were implemented amidst air raid alarms and reports of explosion-like sounds emanating from Jammu.
Earlier in the day, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had also announced the relocation of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in light of the prevailing regional tensions.
