IPL 2025 Suspended Amid India-Pakistan Tensions Following Terror Attack and Missile Strikes

IPL 2025 Suspended Amid India-Pakistan Tensions Following Terror Attack and Missile Strikes

Last Updated May - 09 - 2025, 03:27 PM | Source : Fela News

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been suspended indefinitely due to growing security concerns following escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan, according to sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) quoted by Hindustan Times on Friday. This decision follows the cancellation of the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match in Dharamsala, a venue less than 100 km from Pathankot, which was on high alert due to air raid warnings.

“We’ve chosen to halt the IPL indefinitely to ensure the safety of players and staff. National interest takes precedence, and we will revisit the possibility of resuming the tournament at a later stage,” a BCCI official said. The Dharamsala match had already been delayed due to rain but was eventually stopped altogether when the stadium’s floodlights failed. Though initially dismissed as a technical fault, players and officials were soon alerted to the broader security risks. According to a player present, panic spread quickly among the teams, especially among international players concerned about the escalating situation. Australian media reported that their players were prepared to leave the country due to safety fears.

The stadium, which was nearly 80% full, was evacuated, and departing fans were heard chanting anti-Pakistan slogans. In response to the deteriorating security environment, IPL authorities and the BCCI conducted an emergency review. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal mentioned that the future of the tournament was still uncertain as they awaited official guidance from the government by Thursday night.

The situation on the ground has already impacted logistics, with flights to and from Dharamsala being cancelled and team transportation rerouted for safety.

Tensions rose sharply after India responded to the deadly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack—which killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists—with precision missile strikes on terror camps operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These strikes triggered a heightened state of military readiness across Indian border regions. Several areas in Punjab—including Amritsar, Pathankot, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Mohali—and Chandigarh experienced blackouts amid air raid sirens and reports of blasts in Jammu.

On May 8, Pakistan launched retaliatory drone and missile strikes targeting cities such as Jammu, Pathankot, and parts of Punjab and Rajasthan. The Indian Armed Forces successfully intercepted and neutralized these attacks.

In a related move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) would be shifted to the United Arab Emirates due to security concerns.

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