The Indian Premier League has been suspended indefinitely due to escalating border tensions between India and Pakistan, according to reports from Indian media on Friday. Cricket officials made the decision to halt the T20 tournament after a match on Thursday was called off in Dharamsala, located less than 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Jammu, where explosions were reported just hours earlier.
The five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings, posted on X: "Courage in every step. Pride in every heartbeat. Honoring our armed forces!" The post included an image of the armed forces alongside the message: "Nation first. Everything else can wait." The IPL, featuring ten teams and a host of international cricket stars, kicked off on March 22 and is known as the richest competition in the sport.
The Lucknow Super Giants were set to host the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday. The final match is planned for May 25 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, which usually draws a large global television audience. Notable international players include Australians Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, and Mitch Marsh, while former captain Ricky Ponting serves as the coach for Punjab.
In a statement released on Friday, prior to the suspension announcement, Cricket Australia stated, "We are actively monitoring the situation in Pakistan and India and are in regular contact with our players and support staff currently in the area." Meanwhile, Pakistan cricket has decided to relocate the remaining matches of its T20 league to the United Arab Emirates to ensure player safety.
