The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has been officially suspended due to the ongoing dispute between India and Pakistan. The move came after the game between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was abandoned on Thursday night in Dharamshala. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to announce the revised schedule for the event.
There were 15 games left to be played in the league, including the playoff matches and the finals. At this stage of the IPL season, Gujarat Titans were heading the table with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the second spot. Punjab Kings and Mumbai rounded off the top four at third and fourth spots, respectively.
This is not the first time that the IPL has been suspended; the league had been halted midway through the season at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This happened in the 2021 season, which was played in India after the entire 2020 season was played in the UAE in front of empty stands.
When COVID-19 halted IPL action
On 3rd May 2021, Kolkata Knight Riders’ players Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier had tested positive for COVID-19. The next day, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s wicketkeeper and batter Wriddhiman Saha tested positive ahead of the game against Mumbai Indians.
Apart from the above-mentioned names, the likes of Amit Mishra, L Balaji and a few support staff members were also detected to be COVID positive. This was followed by the second wave of COVID-19, which saw India getting affected severely. IPL 2021 resumed in September of 2021, with the UAE hosting the second half of the season, which was won by Chennai Super Kings, who beat Kolkata in the finals.
The rising tension between India and Pakistan saw the game in Dharamshala get abandoned. Fans were safely evacuated from the stadium after just 10.1 overs of play were possible. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal was on the ground and a video was seen doing the rounds where he urged the fans to leave the ground.
One unnamed fan during his chat with India Today was quoted as saying, “The northeast floodlight went off just as Shreyas Iyer came in and there was a delay in the game. Then the eastern floodlight went off. Once the second floodlight went off, the players were leaving the field. Immediately, the guards came up to us and told us to leave. They didn't tell us that the match was cancelled; they told us to leave."
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