The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has reportedly offered to host the remainder of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Notably, the season has been suspended for a week as the tensions between India and Pakistan escalate. The contest between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals on Thursday, that happened to be the 58th match of IPL 2025, was called off midway due to security reasons and the crowd at the venue was evacuated. The following day saw the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) postponing IPL 2025. The tournament has 16 more matches to be played, including the playoffs.
As uncertainity looms over the future of IPL 2025, The Guardian has reported that ECB chief executive Richard Gould has already contacted his equivalents at the BCCI regarding the proposal of ECB hosting the remainder of the season.
“Should India be unable to restart the IPL after this week-long hiatus, one suggestion is for England to host the remaining fixtures later in the year,” the report said.
“A senior ECB source has confirmed this could be possible in September, albeit adding that no ‘active discussions’ are currently taking place,” it added.
The report further said that a similar offer was made by the ECB when IPL 2021 was postponed due to the threat of COVID-19. At that time, the tournament was suspended following multiple bio-bubble breaches and rising COVID cases among players and staff in India. However, the season was resumed and completed in the United Arab Emirates around four months later.
Less than a day after deciding to relocate the Pakistan Super League to Dubai in the wake of the conflict with India, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made a U-turn and decided to postpone the 10th edition of the franchise-based T20 league for an indefinite period.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announces the postponement of the remaining eight matches of the HBL PSL X,” said PCB in a statement on Friday.
The PCB made the announcement in a press release on its official website and said it has taken the decision because of increased aerial attacks by India and following advice received from the Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif.
“The last 24 hours have seen a worsening of the situation on the LOC, increased incursion of 78 drones, and the firing of surface-to-surface missiles from India.
“The decision to postpone has been taken pursuant to advice received from the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif who has kept in view the reckless aggression from India that has escalated to a point where national attention and sentiments are rightly focused on the courageous efforts of the Armed Forces of Pakistan who are vociferously upholding the sovereignty of our beloved Pakistan,” the PCB said in its statement.
It is altogether another matter that India has only responded to the terrorist attack on innocents in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, and also targeted terrorist and military installations across the border.
(With IANS Inputs)
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