The BCCI has initiated measures to resume IPL 2025 in May, after a ceasefire between India and Pakistan went into effect on Saturday at 1130 GMT (1700 IST and 1630 PKT).
According to BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla, the war has ended and tomorrow (Sunday), there will be discussions among the office bearers, officials, and IPL governing council. They will make a decision on the most suitable schedule to finish the tournament.
According to ESPNcricinfo sources, the ten franchises are currently making efforts to bring back their overseas players and coaching staff to India. This is in preparation for a possible restart of the tournament, which could happen as early as May 15 pending approval from the Indian government.
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Due to heightened cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, the BCCI made the decision on Friday to halt the tournament for a week. This was in response to the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals being cut short during the first innings in Dharamsala on May 8.
Franchises are facing the pressing task of calling back their foreign players, who departed from India over a span of two days – Friday and Saturday. Many franchises have contacted their players and staff, requesting them to be prepared for a return to India. Some individuals who were travelling have been advised to pause their journey for now. In fact, one franchise has requested its coaching staff to postpone their departure from India, as they had planned to leave on Sunday.
The level of fortune varies among teams, as only Jos Buttler and Gerald Coetzee from Gujarat Titans have departed from the country. The franchise is currently working on their return.
Although the franchises were initially hopeful that the majority of overseas players would be able to participate in the resumed tournament in May, they recognized that there were no certainties if the season went beyond May 25. This is due to the players’ prior commitments, including bilateral matches and the upcoming WTC final between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s beginning on June 11.
In the 2025 IPL season, 57 matches had already been played before the game on May 8 between PBKS and DC in Dharamsala. However, after only 10.1 overs of play, the match was called off. The decision to replay this particular match has not been made by the IPL yet.
With 12 league games and four playoffs still to be played, it is worth considering the option of holding the fixtures in three southern cities: Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad. Seven teams are still vying for a spot in the playoffs, as Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have fallen out of contention.
