Aussies scramble for home as IPL, PSL suspended

Both the Indian Premier League and Pakistan Super League have suspended their tournaments amid the escalating conflict between nations.Australia's highest-profile cricket stars are scrambling to fly out of India, with the Indian Premier League suspended for a week due to the country's escalating conflict with Pakistan.After players woke up Friday uneasy and uncertain on their immediate future, Indian officials announced the league would be suspended for one week with immediate effect.

The news was followed by the Pakistan Super League postponing its remaining fixtures, having earlier announced a relocation to the United Arab Emirates, the Cricket Australia sources said.The developments came after an IPL match in Dharamsala was abandoned amid air raid warnings
in the area.

Several Australian players have 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.

A special train service was put on to evacuate IPL players and staff as well as commentators and production crew from Dharamsala back to Delhi following the abandoned match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals.The decision to suspend the IPL came after the PSL backtracked on a plan to move teams and infrastructure to Dubai in a bid to play the final eight matches of the competition on neutral soil.But that plan was shelved on advice from the Prime Minister's office.

"The safety and welfare of our players and staff is always a core priority and we support today's decision by the BCCI," Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg said."We continue to work closely with the Australian Government, PCB and BCCI and are maintaining regular communication with players and support staff in both India and Pakistan."

The suspension of the IPL will leave a number of questions, including whether the lucrative league can resume after a week or indeed at all this year. If it does resume, there is also no guarantee overseas players would return and be available.Some 12 games remain in the regular season, 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.

Some Australian players were understood to be keen to exit the country, but were also concerned around what it could mean for future chances if they did quit the league before it was suspended.Test captain Pat Cummins, fellow quicks Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, and star batter Travis Head are among the Australians featuring in the tournament.

Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, Mitch Marsh, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie and Xavier Bartlett are among other Australians involved, while numerous compatriots are also represented within coaching staff and media covering the competition.Australians David Warner, Sean Abbott and Ben Dwarshuis are among those featuring in the PSL.For Test players, the suspension is likely to mean unexpected time at home before next month's World Test Championship final in England and a subsequent tour of the West Indies.

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 sides – Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan Royals – are already out of finals contention.The situation in India and Pakistan had deteriorated since 26 people were killed and 17 injured in an attack in the Kashmir region late last month. (UNI)