Following a ceaserfire agreement between India and Pakistan, the Indian Premier League (IPL) could resume as early as early as possible. IPL 2025 was suspended for a week on Friday amid escalating tensions at the border between India and Pakistan. Most of the foreign recruits in IPL franchises departed for their respective countries on Saturday after the decision to suspend the league was announced by the BCCI. After the ceasefire was agreed, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal said that the BCCI is looking at the possibility of resuming IPL ‘immediately’.
“Ceasefire has just been announced. We now explore the possibility of resuming and concluding the IPL. If it is possible to conduct it immediately… We need to work out the venue dates and everything, and we would now be speaking to all the stakeholders, including team owners, broadcasters, and everyone involved and find a way as to how to move forward. Most importantly, we will have to consult with the government,” Dhumal told The Indian Express.
According to a report in the Times of India (TOI), IPL 2025 is very likely to resume either by Thursday or maximum Friday.
“The Indian cricket board had suspended the cash-rich league due to cross-border tensions but normalcy will now take over. Overseas players of every franchise are on their way back home but will be asked to rejoin their respective teams at the earliest,” the report said.
The report added that the franchises will now commence their arrangements as per the guidelines set to be laid out by the BCCI.
“Yes the overseas players were panicking but it was more because of the airport shutdown and all. They patiently listened to the franchises and had full confidence but it was the fear of international airports getting shut which triggered a lot of panic,” TOI quoted a source close to the development as saying.
Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that updates regarding the revised schedule and venues for the remainder of the tournament would be shared in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders.
The suspension of the IPL comes in the wake of India’s missile strikes targeting terror infrastructure across the border in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The strikes were carried out in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
(With PTI Inputs)
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