India suspends its top cricket tournament, the IPL, for a week amid military tensions with Pakistan

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MUMBAI, India (AP) — India’s biggest domestic cricket tournament was suspended for one week on Friday following the escalating military tensions with Pakistan.

The Indian Premier League, which features top players from around the world and attracts hundreds of millions of TV viewers, was halted with immediate effect, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said.

“Further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders,” the BCCI said in a statement.

The decision came after a night of artillery exchanges between Indian and Pakistani soldiers across their frontier in Kashmir, amid a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.

The IPL is the most popular cricket tournament in the world and runs between March and May. This year it has featured 65 international cricketers from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, England and Afghanistan.

The 10-team competition still has 12 games to be played in the group stage before the knockout rounds. The final had been scheduled for May 25 in Kolkata.

On Friday night and Saturday, overseas cricketers and broadcast staff were given permission to fly out to their respective home countries, reducing the chance that the tournament would be resumed. There about 70 overseas players in the IPL this season.

The BCCI said the decision to suspend the tournament was made "in the collective interest of all stakeholders.”

“While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the Nation and its sovereignty, integrity, and security of our country,” the BCCI statement said.

The suspension comes after the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala in northern India was abandoned on Thursday evening when the power went out during a government-mandated blackout. Players from both teams returned by train late Friday to New Delhi.

Punjab's next game against Mumbai Indians had already been moved from Dharamsala to Mumbai because of the closure of several airports in the Indian northwestern corridor.

Pakistan had earlier said it was moving its own domestic T20 tournament — the Pakistan Super League — to the United Arab Emirates because of the tensions, citing growing concerns among overseas players and the need to prioritize their safety. But later Friday, the Pakistan Cricket Board said that the PSL would now be postponed — and not moved to Dubai — with the announcement giving no indication whether this year’s edition would resume.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket