IPL 2025 suspended: Foreign players looking to exit India as tensions with Pakistan spark safety fears – Firstpost

Tensions between India and Pakistan have taken a worrying turn over the past few days, and the ripple effects are now being felt in the world of cricket. The ongoing IPL 2025 season has been suspended for a week, just hours after the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match in Dharamshala was called off midway on Thursday due to security threats.
It became clear on Friday morning that the Pakistani military carried out drone and missile attacks across various cities and towns on India’s western and northern borders last night in response to Operation Sindoor carried out by the Indian Army. Indian authorities supposedly issued an alert, following which the stadium floodlights were turned off and fans and players were evacuated immediately during the first innings of the play between PBKS and DC.
This forced the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to arrange a special train to bring out players and support staff from Dharamsala to Delhi as the airspace was closed in Himachal Pradesh due to the attacks. The BCCI on Friday announced the suspension of IPL 2025 for one week, keeping in mind the alarming developments on the border that have resulted in an unsafe environment for all stakeholders.
Meanwhile, overseas players in the IPL, especially from Australia and England, are reportedly uneasy. ESPNcricinfo has reported that overseas players and Indian cricketers have already started to return home because of the suspension of the tournament. The IPL 2025 had witnessed 58 games with only 16 remaining, including the playoffs and the final.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, several player agents have said that many Australian cricketers are anxious about staying in India, particularly those who are based near sensitive border areas (Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat). The report also mentioned that a growing number of them want to return home as soon as possible.
Big Australian names like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Marcus Stoinis are part of this year’s IPL. In fact, Starc, Ricky Ponting, Brad Haddin, Josh Inglis and rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk were all involved in the abandoned PBKS vs DC game in Dharamshala, which has now become a major talking point.
Meanwhile, The Telegraph reported that England players are scrambling to book flights out of India, specifically to the UK or the UAE. Some of them want to remain close to India in case they are required to travel back after a week. There are 10 English cricketers playing in IPL 2025 – Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell, Jofra Archer, Phil Salt, Moeen Ali, Reece Topley, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton and Sam Curran.
On the other side of the border, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has officially decided to shift its remaining matches to the UAE due to safety concerns raised by overseas players and their cricket boards. However, there are reports that the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) may reject the Pakistan Cricket Board’s request to shift PSL to the UAE, as it could be misinterpreted in India.
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