The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) has been put on hold indefinitely as escalating geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan take center stage. The decision was confirmed on Friday, May 9, by BCCI officials following consultations with the Indian government.
Before the announcement, BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla had stated that the board would only finalize the IPL’s future after receiving input from the central government. With national security concerns mounting, the BCCI moved swiftly to suspend the tournament.
This isn’t the first time the IPL has faced disruption. In 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic's second wave, the tournament was suspended mid-season and later resumed at a different venue. While a venue change might not be necessary this time, the uncertainty surrounding rescheduling remains, especially with an already packed international cricket calendar for the remainder of the year.
Signs of the impending suspension were visible when the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala was abruptly called off due to air raid alerts in nearby regions like Jammu and Pathankot. The sudden cancellation raised serious questions about player safety and the feasibility of continuing the tournament.
A senior BCCI official, speaking to PTI, remarked, “It does not look nice that cricket goes on while the country is at war.” This sentiment echoed growing concerns over holding sporting events during a period of military confrontation, particularly after India launched missile strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoJK, following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which killed 26 people.
Tension surged further on Thursday when several districts in Punjab and Chandigarh, including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, and Mohali, went into blackout mode. Air raid sirens and explosion-like sounds in Jammu triggered emergency alerts, making it increasingly unsafe for large-scale events like IPL matches to proceed.
On the same day, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was also shifted to the UAE following reports of Indian drone attacks in cities like Lahore and Rawalpindi. This simultaneous action from both cricket boards reflects the seriousness of the geopolitical escalation.
The ongoing conflict has created anxiety among overseas players, many of whom have begun their journey home. A total of 62 foreign cricketers were part of the IPL 2025, signed across 10 teams during last year’s mega auction. As the security situation deteriorated, franchises began organizing immediate travel for their international players.
Players from Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings, who were stationed in Dharamsala, are currently travelling to Delhi by road. Meanwhile, the scheduled fixture in Lucknow between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru has also been called off.
At the time of suspension, 12 league games and 4 playoff matches, including the final in Kolkata, were still pending. It remains unclear whether these matches will be rescheduled or the tournament will be scrapped entirely.
As of now, the BCCI has not announced a resumption plan, and given the congested cricketing calendar ahead, fitting in a rescheduled tournament seems unlikely. The suspension marks a rare occurrence where external geopolitical tensions have disrupted one of the world's biggest sporting leagues.