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Australia’s highest-profile cricket stars are scrambling to fly out of India, with the IPL to be postponed due to the country’s escalating conflict with Pakistan.
The BCCI was on Friday evening (AEDT) yet to confirm the decision, but the Australian Associated Press understands multiple players have been told the tournament is now off.
It comes as IPL bosses met the morning after a match in Dharamsala was abandoned amid air raid warnings in the area.
Several Australian players have therefore begun moving towards airports, with some to fly out as early as Friday.
Others are facing logistical hurdles to leave the country due to airport closures, including bus rides of up to four hours before eight-hour train trips for some players.
The decision to suspend the IPL came as the Pakistan Super League was also moved to Dubai, with six Australians featuring in that competition.
The PSL’s move is expected to clear the path for overseas players to see out the tournament, with Australians David Warner, Sean Abbott and Ben Dwarshuis among those featuring.
The call to suspend the IPL will leave a number of questions, including whether the lucrative league will be able to restart this year.
Some 12 games remain in the competition, along with a four-game finals series.
Questions will also linger over the ramifications regarding player payments, given all teams have up to two matches left to play out.
It was rumored that some Australian players were eager to leave the country. However, they were worried about how doing so might affect their future opportunities in the league if they decided to withdraw.
Test captain Pat Cummins, fellow quicks Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, and star batter Travis Head are among the Australians featuring in the tournament.
For them, the postponement will mean unexpected time at home before next month’s World Test Championship final in England and a subsequent tour of the West Indies.
The possibility of needing to postpone the tournament was made clear when air-raid warnings prompted the Ricky Ponting-coached Punjab Kings’ match against Starc’s Delhi side to be abandoned on Thursday night as the stadium was evacuated.
Airports in Dharamsala and Chandigarh — where the Kings are based — have been closed for civilian and commercial use since Wednesday, while others across India’s north-western corridor are also out of bounds to the cricketers.
Three IPL franchises — Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan Royals — are already out of finals contention.
Cricket Australia has been across the situation in India and Pakistan since 26 people were killed and 17 injured in an attack in the Kashmir region late last month.
“We continue to closely monitor the situation in Pakistan and India, including obtaining regular advice and updates from the Australian government, the PCB, BCCI and local government authorities, and maintaining communication with our players and support staff currently in the region,” a CA spokesperson said.
Despite the volatility of the situation, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia insisted foreign players in the IPL had no concerns about continuing to play.
“They are quite comfortable. Everyone in the league is comfortable,” Saikia said.
But IPL chairman Arun Dhumal raised the prospect of halting the tournament.
“It is on as of now, but obviously it is an evolving situation and any decision will be taken keeping the best interest of all stakeholders in mind,” Dhumal told PTI.
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