Mumbai: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, which was recently paused due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan, could resume in May with matches held exclusively in Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) halted the tournament for a week on Friday as the geopolitical situation escalated. However, contingency planning is already underway. If the Indian government approves the resumption of play, these three southern cities have been shortlisted to host the remaining 16 matches of the season.
Team sources told ESPNcricinfo that there’s still hope the remainder of the tournament could be completed later in the year if the May window doesn’t work out. However, rescheduling poses major logistical hurdles, particularly when it comes to bringing overseas players back to India.
Following the announcement of the suspension, several franchises began disbanding, with many international players booking flights to return to their home countries. Most are expected to leave India by Saturday night.
Despite this exodus, franchises remain hopeful. If the situation stabilizes and the IPL resumes later in May, they are cautiously optimistic about some overseas players returning. Still, there is uncertainty about whether the tournament can be wrapped up within the original timeline. The IPL 2025 final was scheduled for May 25 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Looking ahead, availability of international players may become even more challenging, as many are committed to bilateral series and the upcoming World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa, which begins on June 11 at Lord’s.
Until now, 57 matches of the IPL 2025 season had been completed. The 58th game, between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at Dharamshala’s HPCA Stadium, was called off after just 10.1 overs of play.
