Indo-Pak flare-up shadow on IPL-PSL games

Article posted by Coliseum, May 13^th, 2025

Image: Ekana Cricket Stadium, Ankur0745, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Indian Premier League (IPL) was suspended for one week on May 9^th while the Pakistan Super League (PSL) postponed its remaining matches in the wake of the ongoing conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors (India and Pakistan).

‘Reuters’ quoted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia as stating, “The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to suspend the remainder of the ongoing IPL 2025 with immediate effect for one week.”

Mumbai (India)-based the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a professional Twenty20 cricket league in India organized by the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India. Founded in 2007 the league features 10 State-based or City-based franchise teams. The IPL is the most popular and richest cricket league in the world and is held between March and May.

Mumbai (India)-based the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the principal national governing body of the sport of cricket in India. The BCCI is the wealthiest governing body of cricket in the world. It has revenue of more than 5,300 crore.

Lahore (Pakistan)-based the Pakistan Super League (PSL), also known as the HBL PSL for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Twenty20 cricket league in Pakistan organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Founded by the PCB in 2015 the league features six City-based franchise teams.

Lahore (Pakistan)-based the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), formerly known as the Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan, is a sports governing body for cricket in Pakistan responsible for controlling and organizing all tours and matches undertaken by the Pakistan national cricket team.

‘Reuters’ further stated that Saikia said the IPL Governing Council consulted the franchises and the players and “considered it prudent to act in the collective interest of all the stakeholders”.

Added Saikia, “While cricket remains a national passion there is nothing greater than the nation and its sovereignty, integrity and security of our country (India). The BCCI remains firmly committed to support all efforts that safeguard India and will always align its decisions in the best interest of the nation.”

Asked if the players and the support staff from abroad had been given the option to return home if they felt uncomfortable, Saikia replied, “That’s not our domain. It’s for the individual franchises to decide what they want to do with their foreign recruits.”

The May 9^th IPL match in Dharamshala (City in Himachal Pradesh – a State of India) – was abandoned midway through with the organizers citing a power outage while the May 11^th game at the same North Indian City (Dharamshala) was shifted to Ahmedabad (City in the Indian State of Gujarat) because of the border tension.

The two countries have clashed since India struck multiple locations in Pakistan recently that it said were “terrorist camps” in retaliation for a deadly attack in its troubled region of Kashmir last month in which India says Islamabad (capital of Pakistan) was involved.

Pakistan denied the accusation but both countries have exchanged cross-border firing and shelling and sent drones and missiles into each other’s airspace since then with nearly four dozen people dying in the violence.

The IPL still has 12 group matches left which are due to be followed by the playoffs culminating in the May 25^th Final in Kolkata (City in India).

The new dates and venues for the remaining matches will be declared “in due course”, said Saikia.

PSL Postponed

The conflict took its toll on the other side of the border as well with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) initially deciding to move the last eight PSL games to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

However, later on Friday, the PCB said it had postponed the matches on the advice of the Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif adding that cricket “must take a respectful pause” amid the conflict.

A statement sent out by the PCB read, “The PCB recognizes the efforts and support of its partners, the franchises, the participating players, the broadcasters, the sponsors, and the organizers in having ensured the smooth conduct of the tournament thus far. We, at the PCB, also have sincere regard for the mental well-being of the participating players and the sentiments of our foreign players and we respect the concerns of their families who want to see them back home.”

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