BCCI may pause IPL 2025; final decision today after consulting government

Will IPL 2025 be called off? BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the board has been monitoring the evolving situation and seeking the government's advice on the future of the Indian Premier League.

The future of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 now looms in uncertainty after match number 58 of the season between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) was called off following raid sirens in nearby cities amidst the cross-border clash between India and Pakistan.

 

However, the BCCI said in a release that the PBKS vs DC match was abandoned due to a technical failure. 

 

Meanwhile, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the board has been monitoring the situation and seeking the government's advice on the future of the Indian Premier League. 

 

He also added that the BCCI would take the final call on the IPL on May 9, as the situation has been changing day by day.

 

"We will do whatever we are told and inform all stakeholders. At the moment, our priority is the safety of all players, fans, and stakeholders," Shukla was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. 

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are set to host Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Friday (May 9) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. 

 

 

What happened after the PBKS vs DC match was abandoned?

 

When PBKS batters were going all guns blazing, the match was stopped around 9:35 PM IST. In a video circulated on social media, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal was seen gesturing to the crowd to leave the stadium.

 

Meanwhile, the players of both teams were asked to board the bus and head to the team hotel. Such was the situation that many players boarded the bus with their pads still on, according to The Indian Express.

 

"We were told about attacks in nearby Pathankot. We were asked to go back to the hotel immediately. There was some panic... Delhi Capitals were seated in the Punjab team bus and vice versa. We wanted to go out, but there was a huge crowd. The foreign players were worried, with many of them wanting to return home," a player was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.  How PBKS and DC players are returning from Dharamsala?

 

According to a The Times of India report, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that they are preparing a special train to first get players out of Dharamsala following Thursday’s match, but the call on IPL 2025's future overall will be taken in due time after observing the situation.

 

Can BCCI delay the tournament?

 

One of the alternatives the BCCI can consider—if the situation between India and Pakistan worsens—is to halt the event for a while, as the Indian cricket team has nothing scheduled till mid-June. They can restart the tournament when the situation improves, as they are allowed to have buffer days and can complete the matches in fewer days using double-headers.  However, this method might become an issue, as overseas players would likely choose not to extend their stay.

 

Can IPL 2025 be postponed?

 

In 2021, after the second wave of the Covid outbreak, the BCCI stopped the IPL midway and restarted it later in the year at a completely different venue. While a change of venue might not be required this time, they can just put the tournament on hold for the time being.

 

However, with the rest of the calendar year for all teams being jam-packed, the BCCI might find it tough to squeeze in a tournament of the IPL’s calibre in between.

 

Can BCCI cancel IPL 2025?

 

While cancelling IPL 2025 altogether is an option, it is highly unlikely that the BCCI will choose this path, as they will try to implement one of the above two alternatives in case of an emergency.