IPL Suspended Following Air Raid Alerts; Foreign Recruits Head Home
New Delhi, May 10 – The Indian Premier League (IPL) faced an abrupt suspension on Friday as escalating India-Pakistan border tensions forced organisers to pause the high-profile T20 tournament for at least a week. The fallout from this decision was immediate, with a large contingent of foreign players and support staff departing India on Saturday.The suspension followed the sudden abandonment of the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match in Dharamsala, which was halted midway on Thursday due to air raid alerts in the nearby cities of Jammu and Pathankot.
Foreign Contingents Begin Departures Across Franchises
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) confirmed that their players and extended support staff had safely returned to Bengaluru before making their way to their respective hometowns and countries.RCB's overseas players include:
- Tim David
- Liam Livingstone
- Jacob Bethell
- Romario Shepherd
- Philip Salt
- Josh Hazlewood
- Lungi Ngidi
- Nuwan Thushara
"We're deeply grateful for the swift coordination and support from the BCCI, local authorities, and the police who made this possible," RCB stated.
Similarly, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) confirmed that several of their foreign players had already left, while others chose to stay back temporarily.
Mumbai Indians, KKR Players Also Depart
Other franchises, including Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, also saw their international and domestic players depart. According to sources, KKR players left from Hyderabad, where they were scheduled to face Sunrisers Hyderabad before the league was suspended.Following Thursday's incident, players from Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals were evacuated from Dharamsala and transported under tight security to Jalandhar. They later boarded a special ‘Vande Bharat Express’ to New Delhi.
A Punjab Kings spokesperson confirmed that most of their foreign players have returned home.
BCCI to Announce Rescheduled Fixtures
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stated that updates regarding the revised schedule and venues for the remainder of the IPL will be provided after a comprehensive assessment in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders.The IPL suspension comes in the wake of India's missile strikes targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. These strikes were in retaliation for the deadly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.