New Delhi: The Indian Premier League (IPL), the country’s biggest domestic sporting event and the most popular cricket tournament globally, has been suspended for one week amid intensifying military tensions between India and Pakistan.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the decision stating that the suspension was made in the collective interest of all stakeholders and the safety of all involved.
The decision follows a sharp escalation in hostilities between the two nuclear-armed nations after a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir earlier this week.
In its official statement, the BCCI said that, “While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the Nation and its sovereignty, integrity, and security.”
TATA IPL 2025 suspended for one week.
More details here 👇👇 | #TATAIPL
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 9, 2025
The suspension took immediate effect, disrupting a tournament that draws millions of viewers across the world. With 12 group-stage matches still left before the playoffs, and the final originally scheduled for May 25 in Kolkata, the IPL’s completion is now uncertain.
The IPL, which typically runs between March and May, features top talent from around the world. This season includes 65 international cricketers from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, England, and Afghanistan. The 10-team tournament had been running smoothly until the latest round of regional instability gripped the subcontinent.
In a parallel move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) postponed the remainder of the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL) amid deteriorating conditions along the Line of Control (LoC).
Earlier attempts to relocate the PSL to the United Arab Emirates, as had been done in past seasons, failed after UAE authorities reportedly denied permission to host the matches, citing rising regional instability.
