Despite growing uncertainty surrounding the Indian Premier League due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has clarified that it did not convene any emergency meeting on Thursday.
Devajit Saikia, the board’s secretary, addressed speculation in a statement to PTI, stating that any decisions regarding the league’s future would be made after thoroughly assessing the ongoing situation.
The confusion followed the abrupt halting of the IPL match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala. Initially disrupted by rain and a floodlight failure, the game was ultimately called off mid-way due to serious security concerns. At the time of suspension, Punjab Kings were comfortably positioned at 122 for 1 in the 11th over. Prabhsimran Singh remained unbeaten on 50 from 28 deliveries, while his partner Priyansh Arya had made an impressive 70 off 34 balls before getting dismissed.
The match’s sudden halt triggered a swift evacuation of both the crowd and the teams from the HPCA Stadium which was filled to roughly 80% of its 23,000-seat capacity. As people exited, some were heard chanting anti-Pakistan slogans, reflecting the heightened public sentiment.
The heightened alert followed overnight activity where, according to a Ministry of Defence statement, Pakistan launched drone attempts aimed at multiple military sites in Jammu, Srinagar, Pathankot and Awantipura. These att@cks were reportedly intercepted.
Amid the tension, key infrastructure in the region has gone into lockdown. Airports in Dharamsala, Kangra, and Chandigarh are temporarily closed as part of safety measures to counter potential threats. Both the IPL franchises are being transported from Dharamsala to Delhi via a special train from Pathankot, approximately 85 kilometers away, after traveling there by road.
While speculation swirled over the IPL’s immediate future, the BCCI’s top brass maintained that a conclusive decision would be made only after careful evaluation in the hours ahead.
