The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season will resume on May 16 after a one-week suspension taking its delay into consideration, with the final now expected to be on May 30. The announcement followed the news of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, which was affirmed on Saturday, that has now cleared the way for the marquee tournament to continue as planned.
As reported by The Indian Express, the remaining 16 games, including the playoffs and final, will be played at Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. The BCCI has asked all the IPL franchises, apart from the Punjab Kings, to have all players and staff report to their respective venues by Tuesday, May 13, so that they can commence again without delay.
Most overseas players and support staff had already left India, following the political turmoil, but franchises are now working on getting them back in line with the BCCI’s directive.
A new schedule for matches should be communicated by Sunday evening to the franchises, with a number of double-headers planned to finish the tournament in the new time-frame. The Punjab Kings were granted an exception (for reasons that will remain undisclosed) but will also follow suit, or are expected to.
In talking to The Indian Express, IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal’s reassurance is that the BCCI will make every effort to resume the tournament as quickly as possible.
“Ceasefire has just been announced. We now explore the possibility of resuming and concluding the IPL. If it is possible to conduct it immediately… We need to work out the venue dates and everything, and we would now be speaking to all the stakeholders, including team owners, broadcasters, and everyone involved and find a way as to how to move forward. Most importantly, we will have to consult with the government,” said Dhumal.
The reactivation of the league is welcome news to fans and stakeholders alike, and gave them closure after the abrupt suspension. Now that cricket’s most lucrative league is back up and running, attention will shift to the southern cities once the race for the IPL 2025 trophy resumes.
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