The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been suspended indefinitely amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Friday.
The decision came a day after the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match in Dharamsala was cancelled midway due to air raid alerts in nearby cities like Jammu and Pathankot.
“It does not look nice that cricket goes on while the country is at war,” a BCCI official told PTI, confirming the suspension of the tournament that was originally scheduled to end on May 25 in Kolkata.
The cancellation follows India’s missile strikes on “terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.”
On Thursday, several districts in Punjab and Chandigarh faced blackouts after air raid sirens went off and sounds of explosions were reported in Jammu.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has also been shifted to the UAE due to the worsening situation.
A cricket fan in Delhi expressed disappointment: “We love cricket, but we understand this is a serious time. The nation comes first.”
Another fan in Chandigarh said, “It’s scary. Yesterday, we heard the sirens and then news of the match being stopped. Everything feels uncertain.”
Authorities say the decision was made keeping public safety and national sentiment in mind.
