The Indian Premier League tournament, which was suspended for a week amid fighting between India and Pakistan, will resume on May 17 following the announcement of a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed neighbours, organisers have said.
The IPL governing council took the decision to suspend the tournament last Friday after consulting franchises and players as India and Pakistan extended their worst fighting in nearly three decades.
The IPL still has 13 group matches left, which will be played in the cities of Bengaluru, Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, plus four play-off matches at a venue(s) to be decided. The final is now on June 3.
A number of Australians are involved in the IPL as players, coaching staff and commentators with several having only just returned from India following the tournament’s suspension.
With the World Test Championship starting at Lord’s on June 11 it is not clear how many will go back to India.
The match between Ricky Ponting’s Punjab Kings and Mitch Starc’s Delhi Capitals, which was called off during in the first innings on May 8 amid air-raid sirens, will be played again, on May 24 in Jaipur.
The match that will resume the tournament will be played between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders on May 17 in Bengaluru.
“After extensive consultations with government and security agencies, and with all the key stakeholders, the Board has decided to proceed with the remainder of the season,” India’s cricket board (BCCI) said in a statement.
The Pakistan Super League, which includes David Warner among the participants, is also expected to announce a resumption imminently, though many of the overseas players are reported to be unlikely to return, in part due to other commitments.
India and Pakistan have clashed since India struck multiple locations in Pakistan that it said were “terrorist camps” in retaliation for the deadly attack in its troubled region of Kashmir last month, in which it said Islamabad was involved.
