The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is working swiftly to resume the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was suspended due to tensions between India and Pakistan. The board is keen to complete the tournament as quickly as possible, with a tentative restart date set for May 16.
According to a report by The Indian Express, BCCI’s new plan involves hosting the remaining 16 matches — 12 league games and 4 playoff fixtures — across three cities: Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
A BCCI official revealed that with the one-week suspension, the IPL final — originally scheduled for May 25 — could now take place on May 30.
The revised schedule has already been shared with all IPL franchises as of last night. An official announcement will follow after the teams provide their feedback. Franchises have been instructed to ensure that their players report to the assigned venues by Tuesday. Meanwhile, most teams have already started the process of bringing back their overseas players and coaching staff to India.
Franchise officials are optimistic that if the tournament resumes in May, most foreign players will be able to return. However, if the IPL extends beyond May 25, their availability becomes uncertain due to bilateral commitments, including the ICC World Test Championship Final between Australia and South Africa, which begins on June 11 at Lord’s.
IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal said, “After the ceasefire was declared between India and Pakistan on Saturday, we began reassessing the possibility of restarting the suspended IPL. Now we need to finalize venues, dates, and other logistics. Discussions will be held with franchise owners, broadcasters, and the government before announcing the next steps.”
UA / TDS
