India’s premier domestic cricket tournament, the Indian Premier League (IPL), has been suspended for one week due to escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the immediate halt, with further details on rescheduling and venues to be provided after consulting relevant authorities.
This decision follows a night of artillery exchanges between Indian and Pakistani soldiers along their Kashmir border, which heightened the ongoing military standoff that began after an attack on tourists in the Indian-controlled portion of the region.
The IPL, one of the world’s most-watched cricket events, has attracted top international players and millions of TV viewers. The competition, which typically runs from March to May, includes 65 international cricketers from countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, England, and Afghanistan.
There are 12 games remaining in the group stage, and the final was originally scheduled for May 25 in Kolkata. The BCCI emphasized that the suspension was made in the “collective interest of all stakeholders” and stressed that while cricket is a national passion, the security and integrity of the nation come first.
The suspension follows an incident in which a match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala had to be abandoned after a power outage during a government-mandated blackout. Punjab’s next match against Mumbai Indians had already been moved from Dharamsala to Mumbai due to the closure of airports in the northwestern region.
Meanwhile, Pakistan relocated its own domestic T20 competition, the Pakistan Super League (PSL), to Dubai over safety concerns for overseas players amid the tensions. The move followed an incident in which an Indian drone fell inside the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium just hours before a PSL match featuring foreign players.
