New Delhi: Speculations are running rife about the future of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, which was suspended on Friday, considering the current situation of the nation, which has been engaged in warfare with its neighbour, Pakistan. A few media reports have fuelled rumours of some possible windows to complete the remaining matches of season 18, which was put on hold by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Two months – August and September – are said to be the highly favoured options by the Indian cricket board. The same August when India are to tour Bangladesh, and September, when the uncertain Asia Cup is scheduled. But… a highly reliable source in the BCCI has confided in Cricbuzz that the timeline for IPL 2025 resumption might not go beyond May.
“We have suspended the league for one week. We are not looking beyond that at this stage. We are serious about it. Watch out for the next three days,” the source told Cricbuzz on Friday night. Exactly what the official BCCI statement read, as it was clearly mentioned that the cash-rich league is suspended immediately for “one week”, but that didn’t stop the rumour mills, which thought of a long military confrontation between the two nations.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to suspend the remainder of the ongoing TATA IPL 2025 with immediate effect for one week. Further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders,” the BCCI had stated.
A close consideration of the statement would make it clear that the BCCI is indeed hopeful and maybe a bit confident as well that the escalating border tensions might cool down in the near future, which is certainly a positive outlook. According to the Cricbuzz report, the board will then plan to wrap up the remaining 16 matches within a tight 12-day window, focusing firmly on the current month.
It goes without saying that a ceasefire in the border is necessary for the IPL to resume, and should that become the case, the board will then fast-track the schedule with a few double headers. However, if the conditions remain the same for longer, it will surely be a setback for the tournament.
Surely not August or September
Other than India’s tour of Bangladesh and the Asia Cup, certain other factors restrict the BCCI from looking out for a window in August or September. The board surely won’t cancel the international tour (BAN), which also overlaps The Hundred, as nine Englishmen are part of various IPL squads. The English league will run this year from August 5 to 31.
Moving to September, it will clash with the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as eight West Indies players are currently involved in the IPL. The league will run from August 14 to September 21. Also, it won’t be feasible for the boards of these leagues to accommodate requests from the BCCI and alter their dates, but the Indian board isn’t looking that far as of now, the report adds.
“While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the nation and its sovereignty, integrity, and security of our country. The BCCI remains firmly committed to support all efforts that safeguard India and will always align its decisions in the best interest of the nation,” the board added, while announcing IPL suspension.
There have been reports of the BCCI mulling over a window in August or September to complete the remainder of IPL 2025, which was suspended on Friday due to ongoing escalations between India and Pakistan. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
