The Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 tournament has been suspended due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, according to Indian media reports. The decision follows growing concerns over the ongoing conflict between the two nations, which prompted the cancellation of a match on Thursday between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala.
IPL 2025 has been suspended
▶️ https://t.co/Ogmvowe2lX pic.twitter.com/KDD8Zu0Jfv
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 9, 2025
he suspension comes after air raid alerts in Jammu and Pathankot forced the abandonment of the game midway. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) initially attributed the disruption to a power failure at the stadium, the timing of the conflict raised broader concerns. A BCCI official confirmed the suspension, stating, “It does not look nice that cricket goes on while the country is at war.”
With the IPL final set to take place on May 25 in Kolkata, the suspension has left uncertainty hanging over the remainder of the season. The league, which began on March 22, was set to feature matches in 13 venues across India, but with 12 group-stage games still to be played, the future of the tournament remains unclear.
The tensions between India and Pakistan flared after India launched missile strikes against multiple locations in Pakistan, claiming they were targeting “terrorist infrastructure.” This move followed a deadly attack in Pakistan-administered Kashmir in April, which India blamed on Pakistani nationals, a charge that Islamabad has denied. Pakistan has since called for an independent investigation into the incident.
The IPL, one of the richest cricket tournaments globally, was initially expected to conclude its season on May 25, but with rising political tensions, the league’s fate now hangs in the balance.
