Domestic Twenty20 cricket tournaments in both Pakistan and India have been impacted by escalating tensions between the neighboring countries, with Pakistan deciding to complete its matches abroad and India suspending them for a week.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said it will stage remaining matches of its ongoing Pakistan Super League tournament in the United Arab Emirates, citing threats posed by an Indian drone reaching the Rawalpindi cricket stadium on Thursday.
The Pakistan Army has claimed to have shot down 77 Indian drones across the country in roughly 24 hours. Addressing a press conference on Thursday evening, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar described the drone at the stadium as a “deliberate attempt to target domestic and foreign cricket players.”
In its statement, the PCB said it would soon update the schedule for the eight remaining matches of the PSL in the U.A.E. “The PCB has always stood by the position that politics and sports need to be kept apart. However, in view of the extremely irresponsible and dangerous Indian act of targeting the stadium, the PCB has taken this decision,” said PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, adding this would ensure the safety of both domestic and foreign cricketers.
IPL suspension
Similarly, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced it is suspending matches of the ongoing Indian Premier League 2025 season amidst escalating tensions between Pakistan and India.
According to Indian media, the decision followed organizers halting a match midway in Dharamsala on Thursday over security concerns arising from fake reports of missile threats to nearby areas. The BCCI has said it cannot play while a war is ongoing and several northern Indian states, including parts of Punjab, India-held Kashmir, and Rajasthan, remain on high alert.
In a statement, the BCCI said the suspension would continue for a week, adding a new schedule will be announced shortly. Twelve matches of the tournament are pending.
India sent airstrikes into Pakistan on Wednesday, two weeks after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for a militant attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead. Pakistan has said it downed five Indian jets in the aftermath, with India subsequently restoring to drones. Tensions persist amidst calls from the global community for both states to de-escalate the situation and resolve matters through dialogue.