Hyderabad: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday afternoon announced the suspension of IPL 2025 for one week owing to the Indo-Pak conflict. This news has landed with a thud among hard core cricket fans that has left several to settle with grim faces.The sense of loss is real, but it’s been met with an uneasy agreement that the nation is bigger than cricket. “My love for the game runs deep,” said Arnab Ghosh, a digital marketing specialist. “But the thought of any player, especially international ones, being anywhere near the horror of war just chills me. It feels wrong to carry on like nothing’s happening. People adore this game. They’ll come back when it returns.” The tipping point came during a match in Dharamsala. A sudden power cut during play, paired with air raid warnings, caused panic in the stands. A cheerleader’s video captured the moment as fans rushed out screaming. The match was abandoned, and the next day the BCCI had made the call. “Continuing with entertainment while the country is on edge didn’t feel right,” said Aaditya Shinde, a sales executive. “Some things are bigger than the game.” The fallout isn’t just emotional. Stadium vendors were sent home. Sports bars in Jubilee Hills cancelled screenings. The match-day tables that usually fill up fast are now vacant. The SRH vs KKR match was scheduled for Saturday in Hyderabad and those who came to collect the tickets at the Hyderabad Cricket Association’s ticket counter at Gymkhana Stadium, unaware of the BCCI decision just moments before, were turned away with refund slips. Sheikh Miraj of Santoshnagar, said, “I booked four tickets each for `2,250. On one hand it’s disappointing that I won’t be able to watch the match live, it’s a rare opportunity after all. But our nation’s safety comes first.” Others were less composed. Rahul Pranay Kumar, visiting from Canada, had planned his vacation around this game. “I spent `25,000 on tickets. People here can catch the next season. I don’t know when I’ll be back. Watching cricket of this standard live was a dream. Maybe it’s just bad luck.” The organisers at the ticket counter stayed on till 12 noon and closed the counters once they received instructions to do so. RGI cricket stadium in Uppal usually hosts around 38,000 spectators. The hospitality industry too has suffered a setback, especially at this crucial phase of the season when customer footfall usually increases.
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