IPL to resume on Saturday after suspension

The Indian Premier League will resume on Saturday after being suspended because of the hostilities between India and neighbouring Pakistan.

The world’s biggest franchise league was halted for one week on Friday but will recommence following the brokering of a ceasefire last Saturday.

The final was initially due to take place on 25 May and has been pushed back to 3 June, meaning the end of the IPL will clash with England’s white-ball series against West Indies.

At the time of the suspension, 16 fixtures were outstanding. All 16 have been rescheduled, along with the game between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals which was abandoned on Thursday because of floodlight failure in Dharamsala.

Six venues will be used for the new programme – Bengaluru, Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

The Pakistan Super League (PSL), which was initially moved to the United Arab Emirates and then postponed indefinitely, is also making plans to reschedule its final eight matches.

While players from England and Australia left India when the IPL was suspended, other overseas players and coaches remained. League leaders Gujarat Titans trained over the weekend.

Of the 10 English players taking part in the IPL, eight are centrally contracted to England. It is thought they will be left to take personal decisions on their return to India.

The England and Wales Cricket Board initially agreed to let any players taking part to remain for the entire competition, meaning all-rounder Jacob Bethell is not in the squad for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe.

Now the tournament has been rescheduled, there is yet to be a decision on whether players will be asked to return for the three T20s and one-day internationals against West Indies, which begin on 29 May.

There were seven English players at the PSL, along with a number of coaches. All overseas players and coaches at the PSL have returned home.

Last month, a deadly militant attack killed 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.

As a result, India launched air strikes inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir – triggering days of aerial clashes, artillery duels and, by Saturday morning, accusations from both sides of missile strikes on each other’s airbases.