In a shocking turn of events, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has been suspended for a week due to the increasing military conflict between India and Pakistan.
On May 09 (Friday), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made a sudden announcement to pause the remainder of the league’s 18th season. This decision comes after the match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) was unexpectedly called off in Dharamsala.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to relocate the remaining fixtures of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), citing security concerns.
Amidst the INDO-PAK war, the overseas players in India and Pakistan were mandated to evacuate from the country within the next 24 hours and return to their home nations.
What Happened During the PBKS vs DC IPL 2025 Match in Dharamshala?
On May 08 (Thursday), the 58th match of IPL 2025 between PBKS and DC at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium in Dharamsala was called off due to security concerns. The raid alerts in nearby areas triggered a power outage in the hill town that caused the stadium’s floodlights to turn off.
Initially, the official broadcasters stated that the match was abandoned due to a technical failure at the HPCA stadium. But, the IPL Chairman, Arun Dhumal, later clarified that the match was discontinued as a safety measure after the missiles launched by the Pakistanis were spotted in the neighboring areas.
Fortunately, the spectators moved safely out of the stadium. Despite the airports being shut down, the BCCI has planned to arrange special trains to move the entire group of players, team staff, along with the match officials and broadcast group out of Dharamsala on Friday morning.
Before the game was halted, Punjab Kings skyrocketed to 122/1 in 10.1 overs, riding on their opening batter Priyansh Arya’s 34-ball 70 runs (including 5 fours and 6 sixes). Also, Prabhsimran Singh remained unbeaten with his 28-ball fifty (including 7 fours) when the game was paused.
How Many Matches Were Played in IPL 2025 Before Suspension?
Including the abandoned match between PBKS and DC, 58 games have been played out of the 70 league stage matches scheduled in IPL 2025.
These were the core cities that were supposed to host the remaining 12 matches in the group stages before the playoffs:
- Lucknow
- Hyderabad
- Ahmedabad
- Delhi
- Chennai
- Bengaluru
- Mumbai
- Jaipur
The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad and Eden Gardens in Kolkata were set to host the playoffs.
Even though there wasn’t any direct threat to the IPL stadiums, every individual is currently worried about the nation’s safety and security. This was the main reason for the tournament to be suspended to prioritize peace across the nation.
IPL 2025 Suspension: Key Points to Know!
These are the important points to be considered about the one-week suspension of IPL 2025 due to increased border tensions between India and Pakistan:
- Suppose the league restarts within a week, the foreign cricketers will not be allowed to carry out with their international commitments.
- Possible alternatives are being planned to shift the league to a neutral venue outside India.
- The decision about the tournament’s restart will be made according to the government’s instructions.
How Many Matches are Left in IPL 2025 After Suspension?
Right now, 16 more matches are remaining in IPL 2025, which includes 12 league matches and four playoffs that are yet to be completed.
When will IPL 2025 restart? Chances of Getting Delayed!
The BCCI didn’t confirm the exact restart date, but stated in a press release that the IPL 2025 will be suspended for one week. In other words, the league is likely to resume by next Friday (on May 16) only if the situation improves.
However, the latest schedule for the remaining fixtures of the tournament will be revealed at the right moment, after carefully assessing the current situation by consulting the responsible authorities and all relevant parties.
However, there is a possibility of the IPL’s 18th edition undergoing suspension for a longer period if the tensions between India and Pakistan increase across the border.
Where Will IPL 2025 Restart After Suspension?
BCCI is working out to shift the IPL 2025 abroad, possibly to the UAE or South Africa, to ensure the tournament’s continuity and public safety.
It is to be noted that the earlier editions of IPL were moved completely to South Africa and the UAE back in 2009 and 2020, respectively. Once again, both these countries emerge to be the frontrunners, having successfully staged the previous seasons.
What if IPL 2025 doesn’t resume in 1 Week or is not completed by May 2025?
Suppose IPL 2025 doesn’t resume after 1 week (that is on May 16), then BCCI has three possible windows to complete the tournament, which include the late May / Early June, the second half of August, or the September window:
- Late May or Early June: With India’s red-ball tour of England that includes five test matches starting from June 20 (Friday), the BCCI plans to complete the remaining fixtures of IPL 2025 either by the last week of May or the first week of June.
- Second Half of August: India’s fifth and final test match against England is scheduled between July 31 (Thursday) and August 04 (Monday). In such scenarios, the BCCI needs to make use of the second half of the month by boycotting their tour to Bangladesh, scheduled between August 17 and August 31. Also, the strained relationship between these two countries could result in the white ball series being postponed.
- September: This is one of the best options BCCI should consider, organizing the remaining matches of IPL 2025 rather than hosting the Asia Cup 2025 in India, which was tentatively scheduled in September.
However, any of the above three options can prove to be beneficial, keeping in mind the Indian cricket team’s busy schedule as well as the available space in the international calendar for other national teams.