When and How Many Days Did IPL Get Interrupted? A Look at the History of the Tournament

The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the world’s biggest T20 league, was abruptly halted on May 9, 2025, due to the escalation of military conflict between India and Pakistan. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to suspend the tournament for a week after 58 matches had been completed. While this interruption has caught the attention of many, it is not the first time in IPL's history that the tournament has faced postponements or interruptions.

The Three Major IPL Interruptions

Since its inception in 2008, IPL has had a smooth run, but there have been instances in the last five years when the tournament had to be postponed for various reasons. Here’s a look at when and how long IPL was interrupted in its history:

1. IPL 2025: Postponed Amid India-Pakistan Tensions

• Date of Suspension: May 9, 2025
• Matches Played Before Suspension: 58 matches (out of 74 scheduled)
• Reason for Suspension: Escalation of military tensions between India and Pakistan.
• Duration of Suspension: 1 week (the tournament is expected to resume after 7 days, pending the situation).
• This year, the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was stopped after 10.1 overs on May 8. Following this, the tournament was suspended, and the BCCI announced a one-week break before re-evaluating the situation.

2. IPL 2020: The COVID-19 Pandemic

• Original Start Date: March 29, 2020
• Date of Postponement: March 15, 2020 (First Postponement)
• Reason for Suspension: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide lockdowns.
• Duration of Suspension: 174 days.
• The pandemic led to an indefinite suspension of the tournament, with the BCCI initially postponing the start of the season until April 14, 2020. However, due to the global situation, the tournament was further delayed, and after a 174-day suspension, it finally resumed in the UAE on September 19, 2020.

3. IPL 2021: Second Wave of COVID-19

• Original Start Date: April 9, 2021
• Date of Postponement: May 5, 2021
• Reason for Suspension: The second wave of COVID-19 in India, with several players testing positive for the virus.
• Duration of Suspension: 139 days.
• In 2021, IPL had to be held in a bio-secure bubble, and after starting the tournament in April, the second wave of COVID-19 resulted in multiple infections within the IPL bio-bubble. This led to a postponement after the May 2 match. The remaining matches resumed on September 19, 2021, in the UAE, 139 days after the suspension.

Conclusion

In the 18 years of IPL, the tournament has faced interruptions for only three significant reasons: the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, and now the geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan in 2025. Each time, the tournament resumed after a break, with the matches being shifted to the UAE for safety and logistical reasons during the pandemic. The current suspension of IPL 2025 marks a brief yet significant interruption, and the BCCI is actively monitoring the situation to resume the tournament once it's safe to do so.