IPL Crisis: ECB Offers Backup Venue as Geopolitical Tensions Mount

The ECB has offered to host the remainder of IPL 2025, which was postponed for one week amid rising Indo-Pak military tensions.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has offered to host the remaining Indian Premier League matches. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended the tournament for one week amid increasing tensions between India and Pakistan. The PBKS vs DC match was called off midway due to safety concerns, and the entire stadium was evacuated. The next day, BCCI postponed the IPL.

ECB’s Offer to Host IPL

ECB’s chief executive Richard Gould confirmed that England will help if the need arises. According to The Guardian, Gould contacted his equivalents at BCCI and proposed to host the remaining 16 matches of the league.

“Should India be unable to restart the IPL after this week-long hiatus, one suggestion is for England to host the remaining fixtures later in the year,” the report said.

“A senior ECB source has confirmed this could be possible in September, albeit adding that no ‘active discussions’ are currently taking place,” it added.

The idea of moving the tournament abroad is not new. During the COVID-19 pandemic, IPL was shifted to the UAE for 2020 and 2021. In 2009, it was hosted in South Africa to avoid the Indian general election clashes. This would be suitable for Indian players, as they are scheduled to play a five-test series in England after the IPL.

Additionally, players from Australia and South Africa will travel to England to take part in the World Test Championship final, which will take place between June 11 and 15.

English Players Leaving India

Among the ten English players who were a part of IPL, many were already on the outbound flight from India on Thursday night. However, the official decision to postpone came on Friday. Other players decided to fly to Dubai and reassess their plans based on further developments.

While the IPL was planned to end on May 25, a one-week suspension pushes the tournament into June. This could overlap with England’s cricketing commitments. Still, the ECB has offered to host the tournament.

An ECB spokesperson stated, “We’re still expecting India’s five-Test tour here beginning next month to go ahead as planned.”

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