Franchises awaiting advice on how to send Indian and overseas players home

New Delhi, May 9: After the indefinite suspension of the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with immediate effect by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), all ten franchises are now awaiting further advice over how they can start sending Indian and overseas players, as well as support staff and other crew members, back to their respective homes once the briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) happens on Friday evening.

“Yes, IPL franchises have now been informed of the IPL 2025 being indefinitely suspended with immediate effect by the BCCI. The franchises who are at their respective bases will now stay put for three to four hours.”

“The franchises are now awaiting further advice after the MEA briefing happens on Friday evening over how they can start sending Indian and overseas players, as well as support staff and other crew members, back to their respective homes,” added the sources.

The decision to indefinitely suspend IPL 2025 with immediate effect came due to cross-border tension between India and Pakistan, especially after air and drone strikes from Pakistan resulted in blackouts in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur on Thursday evening, all of which are in close proximity to Dharamshala. It resulted in the match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) being called off at the HPCA Stadium just after the halfway mark of the first innings.

With the airport in Dharamshala and other north Indian cities closed, the players and support staff members of both PBKS and DC, along with match officials, commentators, broadcast crew members and other key IPL-related personnel, have been evacuated from Dharamshala by a special train organised by the tournament on Friday morning and are expected to reach New Delhi.

IANS also understands that the Australian contingent in the IPL, comprising both players and support staff, could be flying out from India from as early as Saturday morning, especially considering both Cricket Australia (CA) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) issued statements regarding the safety and well-being of their players.