IPL suspended following increasing level of border escalations between India and Pakistan in the last few days.
IPL suspended after high-stakes meeting of the senior brass of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took place against the backdrop of increased border tensions between India and Pakistan.
Before this decision was made, it is understood that a number of options, including a potential venue change, were considered.
The development follows the suspension of the Punjab Kings vs. Delhi Capitals game in Dharamsala on Thursday, May 8, and coincides with rising concerns among international players. After considering all of their options, the BCCI seems to have decided on a temporary suspension in order to protect everyone’s safety and interests.
The stakeholders’ safe mobility was one of the first worries. The highest level of secrecy is being upheld in its attempt to move all IPL participants—teams, players, broadcast crews, and other league employees—from Dharamsala to New Delhi. The participants were instructed to catch the bus at their Dharamsala hotels, but they were not informed of the location from which they would catch the train to Delhi. They are currently aboard the bus and have not yet been told their precise location.
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal earlier stated that any further decisions would be made in consultation with the government. “We are reviewing the situation. It’s evolving, and we haven’t received any directive from the government yet. Any decision will be taken keeping all logistical considerations and the best interests of stakeholders in mind,” Dhumal said.