IPL 2025 Temporarily Halted Amid Rising India-Pakistan Tensions
Suspension of IPL 2025 Season
The Indian Premier League's 2025 season has been put on hold for a week due to increasing tensions between India and Pakistan, as announced on Friday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) expressed confidence in the capabilities of the armed forces but deemed it wise to pause the league for the safety of all involved, according to the governing body of the tournament.
Details regarding the resumption of the league remain unclear, with sixteen matches still pending in the current season.
On Thursday, a match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamshala was interrupted and ultimately abandoned. Spectators were evacuated due to security issues, as reported by the Director of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, Sanjay Sharma.
In northern India, a blackout was imposed following reports of Pakistani drones potentially targeting the Jammu region. Residents in Jammu reported hearing explosions and witnessing missile trails in the sky.
Dharamshala is located approximately 200 kilometers from Jammu.
Due to the closure of the Dharamshala airport amid military tensions, players and support staff from both teams were transported to Delhi via a special train arranged by the league on Friday morning, as noted by a sports news outlet.
Another match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, originally set for Dharamshala on April 11, has been relocated to Ahmedabad.
Delhi and Jaipur are among the North Indian cities that were scheduled to host additional matches in the remaining season.
In related news, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Friday that it would be moving the last eight matches of the Pakistan Super League to the United Arab Emirates, according to a sports news report.
Earlier this week, the Indian military conducted strikes on what it identified as terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in retaliation for a recent terror attack in Pahalgam. This operation, named Operation Sindoor, targeted nine locations.
Reports indicate that at least 31 individuals were killed and 46 injured in Pakistan as a result of these strikes, according to international news sources.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that Operation Sindoor was executed with precision and care to avoid civilian casualties, emphasizing that the action was measured and aimed at de-escalation.
In response, the Pakistan Army retaliated by shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
On Thursday, Indian armed forces reported that they had thwarted attempts by Pakistan to deploy drones and missiles targeting military sites in 15 towns and cities.
The Pakistani Army claimed to have downed 25 Indian drones that entered its airspace since Wednesday night, with military spokesperson Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry alleging that these drones were aimed at cities like Lahore and Karachi.
On Thursday night, the Pakistani military launched multiple drone and munitions attacks along India's western border, with reports of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Indian Army stated that these drone attacks were effectively countered, and a strong response was given to the ceasefire violations.
A terror attack in the Baisaran area near Pahalgam on April 22 resulted in 26 fatalities and 17 injuries, with the attackers reportedly targeting tourists based on their religion, according to police reports. Most of the deceased were identified as Hindu.
This story is still developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.