MUMBAI, India — India's biggest domestic cricket tournament was suspended for one week on Friday following the escalating military tensions with Pakistan.
The Indian Premier League, which features top players from around the world and attracts hundreds of millions of TV viewers, was halted with immediate effect, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said.
''Further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders,'' the BCCI said in a statement.
The decision comes after a night of artillery exchanges between Indian and Pakistani soldiers across their frontier in Kashmir, amid a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.
The IPL is the most popular cricket tournament in the world and runs between March and May. This year it has featured 65 international cricketers from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, England and Afghanistan.
The 10-team competition still has 12 games to be played in the group stage before the knockout rounds. The final had been scheduled for May 25 in Kolkata.
The BCCI said the decision to suspend the tournament was made "in the collective interest of all stakeholders.''
''While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the Nation and its sovereignty, integrity, and security of our country,'' the BCCI statement said.
