IPL cricket tournament suspended
NN Online:
The Indian Premier League has been suspended indefinitely because of the heightened border tensions between New Delhi and Pakistan, Indian media reported Friday.
Cricket officials decided to pause the T20 tournament after a match on Thursday was abandoned in Dharamsala, less than 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the town of Jammu, where explosions were reported hours earlier.
Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings wrote on X: “Courage in every step. Pride in every heartbeat. Saluting our armed forces!”
The 10-team IPL, which features numerous cricket stars from around the world and is the richest competition in the sport, started on 22 March.
Lucknow Super Giants had been scheduled to host Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday.
The final is scheduled for 25 May at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens and typically attracts a vast global television audience.
Cricket Australia said in a statement on Friday before the suspension news: “We continue to closely monitor the situation in Pakistan and India… and maintaining communication with our players and support staff currently in the region.”
Pakistan cricket has already taken the decision to move the remaining matches in its T20 league to the United Arab Emirates because of player safety.
India and Pakistan have fought two of their three full-scale wars over Kashmir, a disputed territory that both claim in full but administer separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.
New Delhi launched missile strikes on Wednesday morning in retaliation for a deadly attack in Indian-run Kashmir two weeks ago that India blames on Pakistan. Islamabad has denied any involvement.
At least 48 people have been killed on both sides of the border since Wednesday, in the worst violence in decades between the South Asian neighbours.