IPL set to resume after ceasefire
NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — The remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be played between May 17 and June 3 across six venues, the country’s cricket board announced Monday.
The T20 tournament was paused last week due to clashes between India and Pakistan, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to stage the 17 outstanding matches following a ceasefire agreement.
“After extensive consultations with government and security agencies, and with all the key stakeholders, the board has decided to proceed with the remainder of the season,” the BCCI said in a statement.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will host defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday followed by one of two double-headers Sunday.
Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai and Ahmedabad are the other host cities for the remaining league phase matches.
The venues for the four play-off ties, including the final on June 3, will be announced later.
The original hosts for the play-offs were Hyderabad and Kolkata, with the final at Eden Gardens on May 25.
The first qualifier will now be on May 29, followed by the eliminator on May 30. The second qualifier is slated for June 1 and the final two days later.
Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan had called a halt to hostilities on Saturday.
The IPL was suspended for a week last Friday, a day after a match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was abandoned in Dharamsala, less than 200 kilometres from the northern city of Jammu, where explosions were reported hours earlier.
A special train was arranged for players to return to Delhi on Friday as airspace was closed, while overseas stars began to head home on Saturday.
India and Pakistan have fought two of their three full-scale wars over Kashmir, a disputed territory that both claim in full but administer separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.
New Delhi launched missile strikes on Wednesday morning in retaliation for a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-run Kashmir two weeks ago that India blames on Pakistan.
Islamabad has denied any involvement.
At least 60 people have been killed on both sides of the border since Wednesday, in the worst violence in decades between the South Asian neighbours.
