New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has told all ten IPL franchises to assemble by Tuesday, as the tournament’s restart to complete its business end looms large.
The IPL 2025 was suspended by the BCCI for one week on Friday due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, especially after the Punjab Kings-Delhi Capitals clash in Dharamshala was suspended due to air strikes and blackouts around nearby areas like Jammu and Pathankot.
At the time of suspension, IPL 2025 had completed 58 games – with 12 league stage matches and playoffs remaining. Immediately after the suspension was announced, cricketers of all franchises, as well as a majority of the support staff members left for their respective homes and countries.
“Yes, we have been communicated about assembling our team’s players and support staff members on Tuesday. Where we have to assemble, it is yet to be known. But as of now, we have got a message from the BCCI about starting the process of assembling the team from now and have all of them by Tuesday. We will also now begin process of getting overseas players back to India at the earliest,” said a top franchise official on the condition of anonymity to IANS on Sunday.
IANS understands that Ricky Ponting and Brad Haddin, the head coach and assistant coach of Punjab Kings (PBKS), are still in India and didn’t fly back to Australia, unlike their other coaching counterparts like Justin Langer (head coach, Lucknow Super Giants) and Mike Hussey (batting coach, Chennai Super Kings).
This agency had previously reported on Saturday that the BCCI aims to complete all of remaining IPL games before May 25, because the India ‘A’ squad has to leave for a three-match tour of England. As per the original IPL itinerary, May 25 is the day of the final which will be staged at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
It is understood that the final decision on the dates and venues for the revised schedule will be taken by the IPL governing council after the advice it is expected to receive from the government, especially after the ceasefire was violated on Saturday night. After the IPL is over, the India Test team is scheduled to go to England for a five-match Test series starting on June 20 in Headingley.
(IANS)
