On Friday, May 9, the Indian Premier League (IPL) announced a one-week suspension of its 18th season. Given the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan, the 10-team tournament’s future is in doubt.
The high-stakes match between the Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala was abandoned in the middle of play on Thursday. Before the match had started, the airports in Dharamsala and the surrounding areas were already closed. On Sunday, May 11, the Mumbai Indians were scheduled to play the Punjab Kings at Dharamsala; however, the match has already been moved to Ahmedabad.
One of the light towers was turned off after Punjab reached 122/1 after 10.1 overs were bowled in the first innings. This occurred as a result of a power loss brought on by a major local technological malfunction. As soon as possible, the fans were urged to leave.
Punjab and Delhi’s players and support personnel rode a bus from Dharamsala to Jalandhar, after which they boarded a train to Delhi.
The IPL authorities confirmed in a statement on Friday afternoon that the remaining tournament play would be postponed for one week with immediate effect. Later, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal stated that, given the growing cross-border tension between India and Pakistan, there was no need to keep the tournament going. He claimed that a decision about the scheduling of the remaining games would be made when the situation was evaluated in the next few days.
Jay Shah, the chairman of the ICC, also expressed his strong support for the Indian military. He commended their courage in an Instagram story, writing, “We are proud of our armed forces. We honour the courageous men and women defending our country against terrorism.
Players’ travel arrangements are being considered by franchises. With the help of the BCCI and team management, the abroad players would be flown out while the Indian players return home.
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