Muscat: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the suspension on Friday after an emergency meeting, citing the safety of players, support staff, and spectators as paramount. The move follows the abrupt halt of the May 8 match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala due to air raid alerts in nearby Jammu and Pathankot, prompting a mass evacuation of fans from the stadium.

A senior BCCI official, speaking to PTI, stated, “It does not look nice that cricket goes on while the country is at war.” The indefinite halt now leaves the remainder of the tournament, which was slated to end on May 25 in Kolkata, hanging in uncertainty.

Initially, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal had suggested that the following day’s match between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru would proceed, but mounting security concerns led to a complete reversal.

The BCCI is now working with central and state authorities to evacuate players and officials safely from host cities, especially those located in northern regions with heightened alert status.

The development has caught the attention of global cricketing bodies. Cricket Australia issued a statement Friday confirming it is in touch with its players and staff currently in India and is monitoring the situation closely.