New Delhi: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has been suspended indefinitely following heightened military tensions between India and Pakistan. The decision came after unprecedented scenes unfolded during the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match in Dharamsala on Thursday night, which was abandoned midway due to a sudden blackout and rising security concerns.
What initially appeared to be a technical failure turned out to be far more serious. IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal later confirmed that the match was called off as a precautionary measure due to incidents in nearby Jammu. “Yes, the match has been called off as a precautionary step, because there are some incidents which happened in Jammu, I believe. That’s what we got to know, so we thought it’s wise to call off the game,” Dhumal told.
According to The Indian Express, the blackout occurred around 9:20 pm when one of the floodlight towers failed. Shortly after, fans were asked to evacuate, and Dhumal was seen urging the crowd to exit the stadium calmly. The scenic HPCA Stadium, nearly 80% full at the time, was quickly cleared.
The situation caused confusion and concern among players. A source revealed, “We were told about attacks in nearby Pathankot. We were asked to return to the hotel immediately. There was some panic. Delhi Capitals players boarded the Punjab Kings team bus and vice-versa. Foreign players were especially anxious—many wanted to leave India.”
Reports suggest the decision to abandon the game was made after a phone call from a senior cricket official to the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association. The developments triggered an emergency meeting of the BCCI on Friday, where the indefinite suspension of IPL 2025 was confirmed.
“IPL to be suspended. BCCI will issue detailed information soon,” a source told after the meeting. “Yes, the meeting just concluded. After consulting all concerned authorities, this decision was taken. More information will follow.”
The move comes in the wake of recent air and drone strikes from Pakistan targeting areas close to Dharamsala, including Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur, which experienced blackouts and heightened military alertness. This follows India’s missile strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
“BCCI wants to stand with the nation at this time and thus suspends IPL 2025 with immediate effect. It’s indefinite for now. A possible resumption depends on available windows later in the year,” the BCCI source added.
As of now, players and support staff remain under tight security, and arrangements are being made to transport teams out of the conflict-sensitive zone. The future of IPL 2025 will depend entirely on how the geopolitical situation evolves in the coming weeks.
