The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the suspension of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season due to rising cross-border tensions and security concerns stemming from the latest escalation between India and Pakistan.
According to Indian media reports, the BCCI’s decision came after Thursday’s IPL match between the Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at Dharamsala’s HPCA Stadium was abruptly halted mid-innings. Initially attributed to a power outage, the match was later revealed to have been disrupted by security alerts, including air raid warnings and false reports of missile and drone threats in nearby regions such as Jammu, Pathankot, and other northern Indian states. Spectators were quickly evacuated as precautionary measures were taken.
In an official statement released on the IPL’s website, the BCCI confirmed that the tournament has been suspended for at least one week. “It doesn’t look right for cricket to continue while the country is effectively at war,” a BCCI official told the Press Trust of India (PTI), reflecting the growing unease surrounding the league.
The IPL 2025 season, which began on March 22 and was scheduled to conclude with the grand final on May 25 in Kolkata, had completed 58 matches before the suspension, with 12 group-stage games and the playoffs still pending. Matches were slated to take place in major cities including Lucknow, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Jaipur.
The cricketing world has been watching closely as political tensions boil over. The latest round of conflict erupted on Wednesday after India carried out strikes inside Pakistani territory, claiming to target “terrorist infrastructure” in response to a deadly attack last month in Indian-administered Kashmir. India named two Pakistani nationals as suspects, accusing Islamabad of supporting the attack—allegations Pakistan has firmly denied, instead calling for an independent investigation.
Adding to the regional sports shake-up, reports confirmed that the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) has decided to move its remaining matches to the United Arab Emirates in response to the deteriorating security landscape.
As several Indian states, including parts of Punjab, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and Rajasthan, remain on high alert, the future of the IPL season remains uncertain. Cricket fans worldwide now wait for further updates from the BCCI on whether the tournament will resume or face an extended suspension.
