The Indian Premier League (IPL), one of the world’s most popular cricket tournaments, has been suspended as tensions between India and Pakistan continue to rise.
The decision was made after a match in Dharamsala was stopped early. This city is not far from Jammu, where explosions were reported just hours before the game.
By Friday, for the third straight day, both countries had exchanged attacks. India said it had stopped several Pakistani drone and artillery strikes during the night.
At the same time, Pakistan decided to move the remaining matches of its T20 cricket league to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to protect its players. Reports say the IPL is also on hold for now, though there’s no official word from India’s cricket board yet.
However, Chennai Super Kings, one of the most successful IPL teams, posted a message online saying, “Nation first. Everything else can wait.”
Thursday’s IPL match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was suddenly stopped after just 10 overs. The reason was a floodlight failure at the stadium in Dharamsala, located in the Himalayan region.
Following this, the stadium was quickly cleared, and players were taken away by team buses, according to reports. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal was seen asking fans to leave the venue.
The current IPL season, which began on March 22, features 10 teams with top players from around the world.
Some Australian players may return home as soon as Saturday, according to Australian media. Cricket Australia said it is watching the situation closely and staying in contact with its players and staff in the region.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since they became independent in 1947—two of them over Kashmir, a region both countries claim fully but control in parts.
On Wednesday, India launched missile strikes in response to a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir two weeks earlier. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, but Pakistan has denied any involvement.
Since Wednesday, more than 50 people have died on both sides of the border, marking the worst violence between the two South Asian nations in decades.
