Due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken swift action by suspending the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) for one week. Despite the uncertainty across the country, the cricket board remains confident that the league will resume exactly a week later, and has urged players to stay prepared.
On Thursday, the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamshala was called off midway due to an aerial threat alert near Jammu and Pathankot. Following the cancellation, players and staff were immediately transported by train from Dharamshala to Delhi, with commendable support from the Ministry of Railways.
On Friday morning, the BCCI called an emergency meeting to decide the future course of the tournament. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia released a statement saying, “The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to suspend the remaining matches of the ongoing TATA IPL 2025 for one week with immediate effect. Further information regarding the revised schedule and venues will be shared after a thorough review of the situation.”
According to The Indian Express, all IPL franchises agreed to send their overseas players home. However, BCCI has requested all players and staff members to be ready to resume play within a week. The league’s resumption and its revised structure were also discussed, and the cancelled match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals will be replayed.
Also Read- England Board Strikes Deal with BCCI? Offers to Host IPL Matches – Know the Full Story
BCCI now faces the challenge of concluding the tournament within a compressed two-week window. It has also been reported that, upon resumption, the matches are likely to be held in cities located in southern India — Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, and Kolkata — as they are far from the Line of Control (LoC), making it easier to convince overseas players to return.