New Delhi: BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla on Saturday said the Board officials and IPL Governing Council will discuss on Sunday the best possible schedule to complete the suspended T20 League following the announcement of an immediate ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The Board was forced to suspend the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Friday, with 16 matches remaining, as the India-Pakistan border conflict threatened to grow into a full-blown war following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent Operation Sindoor.
“The war has stopped. In the new situation, BCCI office bearers, officials, and the IPL Governing Council will discuss the matter tomorrow (Sunday) and take a call. We will see which can be the best schedule to complete the tournament,” Shukla told PTI Videos.
It was being speculated that the League could be moved to Southern Indian cities Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, but Shukla said such an option was perhaps relevant in the scenario of a continued military conflict.
“That was an option when war was going on. Many options have been discussed. The ceasefire has just been announced, give some time to us, we will discuss and then only a decision will be taken,” Shukla said.
A total of 12 League stage matches and four play-off stage matches are yet to be played in the tournament.
A top BCCI source, privy to the movements of the broadcaster and production teams, expressed hope that barring Dharamsala, the crew at all other venues listed in the original IPL schedule has been asked to stay put.
“The broadcasters had initially asked their production unit to stay back in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai when the military crisis was deepening. But after the announcement of the ceasefire, the crew has been instructed to stay put in all the original venues. So there is a chance that save Dharamsala game, which could be rescheduled elsewhere, venues like Kolkata might retain its matches,” he said.
Most of the foreign recruits, who compete in the League for different teams, have already left the country.
Thursday’s match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala was abandoned midway due to the conflict. With the Dharamsala airport shut, players and support staff of both teams travelled by bus to Jalandhar and then boarded a train to Delhi.
Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Jaipur have one match each to conduct.
It remains to be seen if Dharamsala’s match resumes from where it stopped or is played from the start again.
The play-offs will be held in Hyderabad and Kolkata. The iconic Eden gardens was scheduled to host the title clash.
Before the ceasefire was agreed between India and Pakistan on Saturday, IPL in a statement released on X said, “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 decision was taken by the IPL Governing Council after due consultation with all key stakeholders following the representations from most of the franchisees, who conveyed the concern and sentiments of their players, and also the views of the broadcaster, sponsors and fans ; while the BCCI reposes full faith in the strength and preparedness of our armed forces, the Board considered it prudent to act in the collective interest of all stakeholders.”
