Multiple IPL 2025 Matches Under Threat after India’s Operation Sindoor

The fate of the current IPL 2025 season in India may be increasingly uncertain after the Indian Army’s targeted strikes in Pakistan under ‘Operation Sindoor’ have raised tensions between the two nuclear neighbors.

The military action, launched against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, has already resulted in red alerts in much of northern India and is beginning to impact civilian infrastructure, including IPL grounds.

What is Operation Sindoor?

Titled ‘Operation Sindoor’, India’s counter to the Pahalgam terror attack was a series of targeted attacks at nine sites along the Pakistan and PoK.

As part of this operation, the Indian Armed Forces undertook precision strikes on specific terrorist bases in Pakistan and PoK, where such bases were planned and launched terror attacks against India.

Sources indicate that the title ‘Operation Sindoor’ is derived from the red vermilion that most Hindu women use in their hair to mark themselves as married. In the Pahalgam terror attack, some women had their husbands killed in front of them.

India responded to the Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in the death of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali national by initiating Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025.

Precision-guided strikes were conducted by the Indian Army and Air Force at nine terror camps run by Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, being extremely cautious to spare Pakistani military facilities in an attempt to keep the escalation minimal.

The Indian government termed the operation a targeted response to destroy cross-border terror infrastructure. But the situation quickly escalated, with retaliatory shelling along the Line of Control and increased military activity causing security lockdowns in many northern areas.

Which IPL matches could be affected?

The effect on the IPL could be massive. Several future fixtures are lined up in cities currently under red alert or where air travel is affected.

Only two days after the attacks, a was activated in the heart of UP. announced a travel advisory warning about extended airport closures in Northern India, especially Himachal Pradesh.

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are particularly impacted, with two home games in the state capital under active military coordination and oversight. The Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police has ordered all field units to stay in close communication with defense forces to protect “vital installations,” a list that could include major public sites like stadiums.

• May 9: LSG vs RCB in Lucknow: Just after the strikes by the Indian Air Force, a red alert has been issued in the whole of Uttar Pradesh, the home venue of Lucknow Super Giants.
• May 11: PBKS vs MI in Dharamsala: SpiceJet Airlines has issued a travel advisory regarding indefinite airport closures in various parts of Northern India, including Himachal Pradesh, the home venue of Punjab Kings.
• May 14: DC vs LSG in Delhi: The national capital has also issued its own advisory and remains on high alert for any potential retaliation in response to Operation Sindoor.
• May 18: LSG vs SRH in Lucknow: The whole of Uttar Pradesh remains on red alert, which could cause issues for LSG’s last home match.

Potential safety issues for international players

Though the BCCI has not made any official comment, there is speculation that foreign players might object to playing due to safety concerns.

With the intensity of the surgical strikes giving way to open cross-border firing, the idea of playing in red-alert cities such as Lucknow, Jaipur, Dharamsala, or even Delhi might make players or their boards rethink participation, particularly if diplomatic travel advisories are revised in the next few days.

The Dharamsala match already has logistical challenges because of airport closures. If the situation worsens, franchises might need to change venues or even relocate the tournament altogether, as it was in 2009 and partially in 2014 because of election security-related concerns.