When will IPL 2025 resume? Potential windows and venues
What's the story
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has been suspended indefinitely amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan.
The decision was taken on Friday after the Punjab Kings (PBKS) vs Delhi Capitals (DC) match was stopped due to air raid warnings in nearby cities.
Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had blamed a technical glitch for the cancelation.
Here we decode the potential windows and venues for the remainder of the season.
Games
16 games still left in the competition
As 58 league matches have been concluded, 12 more games in this stage are yet to take place.
Combined with four matches in the playoffs, 16 matches are still left this season.
These matches were panned across 17 days in the initial schedule, including the rest days during the playoff stage.
If BCCI decides to conduct the games in the same pattern, they would need around a 20-day window.
Packed schedule
BCCI's schedule for the remainder of year is packed
If the BCCI is unable to conduct the remaining games by mid-June, it will be nearly impossible for them to find another window this year.
India's tour of England is slated to kick-start with the opening Test on June 20.
This will be followed by the tour of Bangladesh and the home series against West Indies.
India are slated to host the Asia Cup in September. The team will then tour Australia before hosting South Africa at home.
Potential dates
Can Asia Cup, Bangladesh tour make way for IPL?
As per several reports, BCCI has reportedly been advised to consider a complete boycott of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCCI) amid rising political tensions.
Hence, this puts India's Bangladesh tour and the Asia Cup in jeopardy.
If both these events get cancelled, India will have no international cricket to play between August 5 and October 1.
Even if one of these tournaments gets canceled, BCCI will get at least a 25-day window.
Possibility
What if India's international schedule remains intact?
If the Asia Cup and Bangladesh tour go as per schedule, IPL's fate will be trickier as the Indian team doesn't have even a gap of 20 days between any series till the end of the year.
If the 12 league matches take place as double-headers, the tournament can be squeezed to 13 days at maximum.
Even that is not possible as the Indian team's biggest break this year is exactly 13 days between their tour of England and Bangladesh.
Venues
What are the possible venues?
UAE would have been the best alternative venue to conduct the remaining IPL games.
However, the UAE stadiums will host the remainder of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for at least a couple of weeks following the announcement of the revised schedule.
In this case, Sri Lanka seems the best option if BCCI decides to resume the tourney within a few days.
South Africa would be the top pick as BCCI decides to take IPL outside Asia.