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IPL 2025: Suryakumar to lead MI in first game against CSK, confirms Hardik

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Mumbai, March 19: India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav will be captaining Mumbai Indians in their first IPL 2025 game against Chennai Super Kings on March 23, confirmed regular captain Hardik Pandya.

Pandya will be unavailable for MI’s season opener due to a one-match ban he received after the side recorded a slow over-rate in their IPL 2024 final league game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), which was also his third offence of the season.

Suryakumar had captained MI in one IPL match, way back in 2023. “Suryakumar Yadav leads India as well. He will lead Mumbai Indians in the first match of IPL 2025. I am lucky that I have three captains playing with me – Rohit, Surya and Bumrah. They always place an arm around my shoulder and are there when I need any help,” said Pandya in the pre-season press conference, which he attended alongside head coach Mahela Jayawardene on Wednesday.

Talking about the MI-CSK clash, Jayawardene said, “It’s a challenge for both teams. I have always enjoyed the battle, looking forward to it. There is a little more adrenaline for the team as well.”

MI are also without their fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who is recuperating from a back injury suffered during the Sydney Test in March. Jayawardene said Bumrah is still undergoing rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. “He is still at the NCA and is being monitored on a day-to-day basis. He is recovering and is in good spirits; hopefully, he can join the team sooner.”

MI finished at the bottom of the points table last year, and Pandya stated the side is aiming to do their things right in every aspect in IPL 2025. “Just play good cricket. Being with each other at the same point in time. Doing the processes right. Go and execute. With this group, considering the talent, we will look ahead to enjoy the games.”

“This year is a fresh year. A lot of things have changed; a lot of love and joy have been added. There will always be passion and new challenges that I love. The crucial part for me is to help the team to add value to the team. I am here!” added Pandya.

Both Pandya and Jayawardene signed off by saying getting Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult on board was extremely important for the five-time champions. “Getting Trent Boult was very important to us. Deepak Chahar too. We wanted an experienced bowling lineup so that when the pressure comes we have players who have felt it before,” said Pandya.

“Last season, threw us some challenges. But it’s been a big auction with that we have a fresh canvas. With our core team and the new group of guys, including the returning Trent Boult. We want to put the puzzle together and have a good start!” added Jayawardene.

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PCB postpones men’s domestic tournaments with immediate effect amid India-Pak tensions

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Lahore, May 10: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday announced the immediate postponement of all men’s domestic tournaments in the country owing to escalating cross-border tensions with India.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board confirms that the ongoing President’s Trophy Grade-II, Regional Intra-District Challenge Cup, Inter-District U19 One-Day tournament have been postponed with immediate effect due to prevailing security condition in the country.”

“The tournaments will resume from the same stage later and a revised schedule will be shared closer to the resumption,” said the PCB in its official statement on Saturday.

Previously on Friday, after the BCCI paused IPL 2025 for a week due to growing tensions between the two nations on the border areas, the PCB had announced it has postponed the ongoing edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for an indefinite period, citing the advice given by Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

The tournament’s postponement news came hours after PCB claimed it was going to host the remaining eight matches of the tournament in the UAE, though the organisation didn’t specify the dates or venues of those rescheduled matches.

PSL’s future had come under great uncertainty after a drone had crashed at a food street near the Rawalpindi International Cricket Stadium, which resulted in Thursday’s match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings being postponed indefinitely.

Two weeks after 26 people were gunned down by terrorists in Pahalgam – a popular tourist destination in Jammu & Kashmir, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ to target terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.

Pakistan continued its aerial attacks, comprising drones and missiles, on Indian border cities as well as across other military stations in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat on Friday. But all of them were successfully foiled by India’s defence systems.

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IPL 2025 suspended indefinitely, BCCI cites national interest

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New Delhi, May 9: Amid the escalating military conflict between India and Pakistan, the BCCI has decided to suspend the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season indefinitely in an emergency meeting on Friday, sources told Media.

After Thursday’s IPL 2025 match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was called off after 10.1 overs of play at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala following the air and drone strikes from Pakistan which resulted in blackouts in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur, all of which are in close proximity to Dharamshala, the future of the tournament looked uncertain and BCCI convened emergency meeting to decide the way forward.

“IPL to be suspended, BCCI will issue detailed information anytime soon, the BCCI sources told Media on Friday. “Yes, the meeting just got over. After discussing with all the concerned authorities, this decision was made. Further details will be shared by the BCCI, ” it added.

“BCCI wants to stand with the nation at this time and thus suspends IPL 2025 with immediate effect. It’s indefinite at the moment (on a window to resume IPL 2025 in future). It will only happen if there will be time later in the year. But for now nothing,” said IPL sources to Media.

Following the abandonment of the Dharamshala match, several Australian players involved in the league reportedly expressed anxiety over their safety.

A special train has been arranged to evacuate both Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals players and support staff members, match officials, commentators, broadcast crew members and other key personnel associated with IPL 2025 to get them to a safe place.

After India launched precision strikes targeting nine high-value terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok), in response to the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, Pakistan attempted to engage in number of military targets in Northern and Western India on May 7-8.

India on Thursday morning targeted the Air Defence Radars and systems at several locations in Pakistan, during which the one at Lahore has been neutralised.

Later, Pakistan launched aerial attacks on Jammu as well as several military stations near the western border, but those were successfully foiled by India’s air defence systems.

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High alert sounded in Rajasthan border districts, leaves of govt employees cancelled

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Jaipur, May 8: A high alert has been issued in districts near the Rajasthan border following India’s airstrikes on nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. As a precautionary measure, all flight operations at Kishangarh and Jodhpur airports have been suspended until May 10.

Rajasthan shares a 1,037-km border with Pakistan, which has been sealed with the Border Security Force personnel maintaining high vigilance. The Indian Air Force is also on high alert.

All government and private schools, along with anganwadi centres in the border districts of Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, and Sri Ganganagar have been declared closed until further notice.

The government employees in these areas have had their leaves cancelled and were instructed to remain at their headquarters.

The state authorities have called for heightened surveillance on social media platforms and reinforced security at sensitive locations.

Hospitals have been directed to maintain an adequate blood supply and life-saving medicines, while fire services remain on high alert to handle any emergencies.

The Home Department has instructed all District Collectors, especially those in border districts — Ganganagar, Bikaner, Phalodi, Jaisalmer, and Barmer — to maintain close coordination with the army and central agencies.

Key instructions issued include ensuring hospitals are equipped with life-saving medicines and sufficient blood supplies, identifying and preparing safe zones with backup power (generators) for emergencies, acting swiftly against any provocative content or misinformation on social media, monitoring food supplies, discouraging hoarding, and ensuring availability of essentials.

Fuel pumps have been asked to stock adequate quantities of petrol and diesel.

Directions to prepare evacuation plans for border villages in case of escalations and compiling a list of vulnerable locations, and strengthening security at these sites have also been issued.

In Jodhpur, District Collector Gaurav Agrawal announced late at night holidays for all government, private schools, colleges, anganwadi and coaching institutes. Also, exams to be held on May 8th have been postponed.

Barmer District Collector Tina Dabi has announced holidays for all government and private schools, anganwadis, and madrassas from May 8 in response to any emergency situation.

In Jaisalmer, District Collector Pratap Singh Nathawat has issued closure orders for all educational institutions. Additionally, a 4-hour blackout was imposed in Jaisalmer from 12 midnight to 4 a.m. on Thursday to enhance operational security.

Sri Ganganagar and Bikaner District Collectors Dr. Manju (Sri Ganganagar) and Namrata Vrishni (Bikaner) have announced school closures until further notice, citing heightened tensions along the border.

These precautionary steps have been taken as India prepares for potential retaliation from Pakistan following Operation Sindoor.

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