New Delhi: The Indian Premier League (IPL) was on Friday suspended indefinitely due to the escalating military confrontation between India and Pakistan.
A cloud of uncertainty had loomed over the future of the ongoing edition since the cancellation of Thursday’s match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala midway following air raid alerts in neighbouring cities of 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 high-profile league, which was to wind up on May 25 in Kolkata.
India launched missile attacks on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir a fortnight after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed.
On Thursday, a blackout was enforced in several districts in India including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Mohali in Punjab and Union Territory Chandigarh amid air raid alarms and reports of explosion-like sounds in Jammu.
Earlier in the day, the Pakistan Super League was moved to the UAE after Indian drone attacks in Lahore and Rawalpindi among other cities.
The military confrontation had caused significant anxiety among the foreign players, according to league sources and they will be flying back over the next few days. Sixty two overseas players were signed up by the 10 franchises at the mega-auction last year.
The players of Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings are currently on their way to the national capital from Dharamsala by road.
On Friday, the IPL bandwagon was in Lucknow for the game between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, which now stands suspended.
Twelve league matches and four knockout games, including the final in Kolkata, were left to be played at the time of suspension.
