ECB open to hosting remainder of IPL 2025 amid India-Pakistan conflict

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has expressed its willingness to host the remaining matches of the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) this September, following the tournament's suspension due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a one-week suspension of the IPL on Friday. According to The Guardian, ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould has already extended support to his counterparts at the BCCI. If the IPL cannot resume after the hiatus, one proposal under consideration is to shift the rest of the tournament to England later in the year.

"A senior ECB source has confirmed this could be possible in September, albeit adding that no 'active discussions' are currently taking place," the report stated.

This is not the first time the ECB has offered to step in. A similar offer was made in 2021 when the IPL was paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This edition of the IPL was brought to a halt after Thursday's match in Dharamsala was abandoned—just hours after explosions were reported in Jammu, roughly 200 kilometres away.

Twelve group-stage matches remain in the tournament, in addition to the playoff fixtures and the final, originally scheduled for 25 May in Kolkata.

The BCCI said revised dates and venues for the remaining matches will be announced "in due course".

Meanwhile, the conflict has also affected cricket across the border. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) initially announced plans to relocate the final eight matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to the United Arab Emirates. However, later on Friday, the PCB confirmed that the matches had been postponed on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stating that cricket "must take a respectful pause" in light of the current situation.