New IPL schedule to be announced later, BCCI stands with Indian Army: Rajeev Shukla

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially postponed the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) for a week amid growing tensions at the India-Pakistan border. BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla confirmed the decision, asserting that the board is fully with the Indian government and military at this juncture. "IPL 2025 has been suspended for one week in consideration of the situation. The revised schedule will be notified after consultations with the government, stakeholders, and broadcasters. We are proud of the Indian Army. BCCI stands by our Armed Forces and the government," Shukla stated.

The move followed the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala being suddenly abandoned halfway through the first innings on May 8. Fans were ordered out of the ground at once, and players were escorted out of harm's way. The fact that Dharamsala is located near the north border, only 85-90 km away, was the reason behind immediate safety actions.

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Interestingly, IPL Chairman Arun Singh Dhumal later disclosed that the stadium blackout was deliberately blamed on a floodlight malfunction to prevent crowd panic. The board has since explained that the actual reason for the abandonment was the worsening border situation.

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Sanjay Sharma, a member of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), has confirmed that the local administration, the Punjab Kings franchise, and HPCA personnel were all in close communication in expectation of possible disruptions. The BCCI has even scheduled a special Vande Bharat train to transport Delhi Capitals players, Punjab Kings players, and the broadcast team safely back to Delhi.

In terms of foreign players' participation in the future, Rajeev Shukla said that it will be up to individual franchises and the players themselves. Though the tournament itself is suspended for only a short time, there is doubt about what happens to the remaining schedule. The fans now look forward to the redrawn fixture list that has been guaranteed to come out after high-level discussions by the board.