IPL 2025 Suspended: A Look Back At Every Time The Tournament Was Disrupted Mid-Season
IPL 2025 Suspended: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season has been suspended for a minimum of one week due to rising border tensions between India and Pakistan following India’s Operation Sindoor following the deadly terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. The decision of IPL’s suspension came shortly after the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match in Dharamsala was halted midway through the first innings on Thursday following air raid alerts in nearby regions such as Jammu and Pathankot.
An official IPL statement confirmed that the remainder of IPL 2025 has been suspended for a week amid escalating tensions following Operation Sindoor, citing concerns raised by franchises, players, broadcasters and fans. A revised schedule will be shared after a thorough evaluation in coordination with the concerned authorities.
Notably, this isn’t the first time the IPL has encountered disruptions. Over the years, the tournament has been suspended, delayed or even shifted overseas due to a range of external factors.
Here’s a look back at all the instances when the IPL was interrupted mid-season or impacted by unforeseen events—and how it eventually resumed.
IPL 2009: Entire Season Moved To South Africa
In 2009, the IPL had to be completely relocated to South Africa due to a clash with India’s Lok Sabha elections. The government cited an inability to provide adequate security for both the elections and the tournament, prompting the BCCI to shift the entire season abroad.
IPL 2014: Partly Hosted In UAE
The 2014 edition of the IPL was similarly affected by the general elections. Due to security concerns, the first 20 matches were held in the UAE across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. The tournament then returned to India afterwards for the remainder of the season.
IPL 2020: Delayed & Played Entirely In UAE
The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of IPL 2020, which was originally scheduled for March-April. With lockdowns and travel bans in place, the tournament was eventually conducted from September to November in the UAE, under strict bio-secure protocols and without spectators.
IPL 2021: Suspended Midway, Concluded Later In UAE
In 2021, the IPL began as scheduled in India but had to be suspended after 29 matches when COVID-19 cases surfaced among players and staff. To ensure safety, the remainder of the season was rescheduled and completed in the UAE in September.
IPL 2025: Suspended Amid Escalating Border Tensions
The ongoing edition, IPL 2025, was suspended after 58 of the 70 league matches due to rising cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, following Operation Sindoor. The Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match in Dharamsala was the first to be called off mid-game.
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