The BCCI have decided to suspend the remainder of IPL 2025 immediately for one week: here's what we know so far, and what could happen next.
IPL suspended: Governing council takes a call
On Friday, May 9, the BCCI confirmed that the decision to suspend the league was taken after consultation with key stakeholders and franchises. For the first time, an official statement linking to the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict was made, with the BCCI expressing solidarity with the Government of India, the Armed forces and the people.
A comprehensive assessment is set to follow, based on which the new schedule and venues will be announced.
The decision followed last night's suspended match in Dharamshala between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals. Initially paused because of a floodlight failure, the suspension was later confirmed as a "precautionary move" by IPL chair Arun Singh Dhumal.
Players take to social media, IPL teams echo statement
On Friday morning, several prominent Indian players expressed solidarity with the armed forces on social media, including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah among others.
IPL team accounts echoed the sentiment, with Sunrisers Hyderabad mentioning that ticket refund details for SRH vs KKR, scheduled for May 10, will be communicated shortly. Lucknow Super Giants, who were slated to play RCB later tonight, will also be issuing refund details soon.
Player safety, logistical challenges
Yesterday's suspended match was in Dharamshala, the northernmost city among all the IPL 2025 venues. According to India's Ministry of Defence, drones and missiles targeted three military stations, including Pathankot, just 85 kms from Dharamshala. As per reports, players were shifted out of Dharamshala by bus to Jalandhar, and then by train to Delhi.
In the early hours of Friday, an air warning had been received, and sirens were sounded in Chandigarh, a key hopping point to Dharamshala.
It is to be noted that the conflict has currently forced the closure of 24 civilian airports across India, with flight schedule disruptions being noted. This includes the airports at Chandigarh and Kangra-Gaggal, the closest to Dharamshala.
A look at FlightRadar24, an open source flight-tracking platform, shows a vacant airspace around the western stretches of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir states.
In such a scenario, a call has to be made whether the IPL – if it continues soon – limits its venues, and takes the action further away from the conflict zone. Airports in the southern and eastern parts of India are currently functioning normally, which could logistically provide smoother movement.
At this point, there are 12 league matches yet to be played, along with three playoff matches and the final.
How has IPL dealt with past contingencies?
While this is a completely new scenario for the IPL, there have been circumstances in the past where the tournament has had to alter its schedule due to external reasons. For the annual competition, the general elections – held every five years – have led to scheduling alterations. The biggest came in the second season itself, when the entire tournament was moved out to South Africa.
Then, in 2014, a part of the tournament was held in the UAE. At that time, South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were also considered as potential venues.
Then in 2020, the entire tournament was shifted out to the UAE, having initially been suspended due to the Covid-19 lockdown in India. For the first time, the tournament was played in the September to November window. In 2021, the tournament was suspended midway due to the same reason: for the first time, a part of it had to be played later, with UAE providing hosting support yet again.
This time, the Pakistan Super League, running in parallel to the IPL for the first time, have opted to play their remaining matches in the UAE. That effectively rules out the country as host, at least in the immediate future.
The timing issue
The bigger issue is the window itself. For now, the BCCI have said the tournament is suspended for a week, but there's no guarantee of a resumption soon, given how heightened the cross-border tension has been over the past few days.
Foreign players and support staff are reportedly assessing ways to head back home. ESPNcricinfo reports teams have already started "disbanding", looking for the next available flight out.
A packed cricketing calendar would pose a massive availability challenge if the tournament is played later. Initial reports suggest that the IPL could target the post-England tour window, taking up the space allocated for the Asia Cup and India's Bangladesh tour.
If the authorities are keen on keeping the tournament to India, they could go the 2022 way. Then, the tournament was played entirely in the state of Maharashtra – in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune – limiting movement due to Covid-19 yet again.
Alternatively, there could be other avenues too. In 2022, ECB chair Richard Thompson had expressed interest in IPL matches being hosted in the UK, something Michael Vaughan proposed hours after the suspension was confirmed.
For now, cricket in India is on the back burner, with the constantly-evolving situation at the border leaving the tournament in limbo.
Follow Wisden for all IPL 2025 updates, including live scores, team squads & news, team schedule and more. The live streaming details for India, UK and USA can be found here. Check the updated points table, along with the Orange Cap and Purple Cap holders.
