IPL suspended for one week

New Delhi, May 10: The Indian Premier League, the richest tournament in cricket, was suspended for one week on Friday because of the conflict between New Delhi and Pakistan.

"Further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course," Devajit Saikia, honorary secretary of the Indian cricket board (BCCI), said in a statement.

"While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the nation and its sovereignty, integrity and security of our country," the statement added.

Officials paused the T20 competition after a match Thursday was abandoned in Dharamsala, less than 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the northern city of Jammu, where explosions were reported hours earlier.

Thursday's match in the IPL between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was abruptly called off after 10.1 overs due to an apparent floodlight failure in the Himalayan hill town of Dharamsala.

The stadium was swiftly evacuated and players whisked out of the ground in the team bus, according to media reports.

IPL chairman Arun Dhumal was seen signalling to fans to leave the stadium.

The 10-team IPL, which features cricket stars from around the world, started on March 22.

Lucknow Super Giants had been scheduled to host Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday.

There are 12 games left in the group stage, which should have been followed by the playoffs, scheduled to be played in Hyderabad and Kolkata. 

Gujarat Titans lead the table followed by Bengaluru with both teams on 16 points after 11 matches.

The final was set for May 25 at Kolkata's Eden Gardens and typically attracts a vast global television audience.

Among the overseas stars are Australians Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head and Mitch Marsh, while former skipper Ricky Ponting coaches Punjab.

Some Australian players based in India could fly home as soon as Saturday, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said.

Cricket Australia said in a statement on Friday before the suspension news: "We continue to closely monitor the situation in Pakistan and India... and maintaining communication with our players and support staff currently in the region."

PSL moved to UAE 

Pakistan's T20 cricket league will be relocated to the United Arab Emirates, officials said Friday, after Indian attacks on the country including a drone that reached Rawalpindi stadium.

Pakistan's army "neutralised" 28 Indian drones, including one near the city's stadium on Thursday morning, the foreign minister Ishaq Dar said.

He called it "a deliberate attempt to target domestic and foreign cricket players".

"Pakistan Cricket Board confirms that the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League has been shifted to the UAE," read a PCB statement, which added that the schedule would be updated in due course.

The decision was reached after several meetings between the franchise and the PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the country's interior minister.

Naqvi said the decision was made for the sake of players' safety.

"The PCB has always stood by the position that politics and sports need to be kept apart. However, in view of the extremely irresponsible and dangerous Indian act of targeting the stadium, the PCB has taken this decision," Naqvi was quoted as saying in the statement.

"We have shifted the remaining matches to the UAE so that the domestic as well as foreign cricketers, who are our precious guests, can be saved from the possible reckless targeting by India."

Former champions Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi were due to play at Rawalpindi stadium on Thursday but the match was postponed after a drone fell close to the stadium.

Thirty-seven foreign players including from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan are involved in the PSL.

Sources told AFP foreign players did not want stay in Pakistan after deadly confrontations between the nuclear-armed foes drew global calls for calm.

India sent air strikes into Pakistan on Wednesday, two weeks after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on the Indian-run side of disputed Kashmir, which Pakistan denied.

Pakistan responded with heavy artillery fire and both sides accused each other on Thursday of carrying out waves of drone attacks.

International cricket resumed in Pakistan in 2020 after remaining suspended in the wake of 2009 terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore.

Several Australian and New Zealand players involved in this season's PSL, including Australia's David Warner, had travelled to Pakistan with their national teams in the recent past. (AFP)