Operation Sindoor impact on IPL: Several airports along the border of Pakistan – Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh and Rajkot – have been closed until 5:30am IST on May 10 as India struck Pakistan terrorist camps early Wednesday as part of Operation Sindoor.Multiple airlines have already issued advisories and have suspended operations because of the current geopolitical situation.It is now set to impact the travel plans of few Indian Premier League (IPL) teams who are in Dharamsala, and were scheduled to reach this week for their respective matches.While Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) are already there for their match on May 8, Mumbai Indians (MI) were scheduled to reach later this week. As of now, unless there is a government directive, the match between DC and PBKS will go as per schedule. With Dharamsala airport, and neighbouring Amritsar and Chandigarh airports shut, the teams and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would look to swing a travel plan in action.
“We will have to wait and watch for now. There is no option because even Chandigarh airport is shut so we need to see what can be done. Two teams are already here and MI were supposed to arrive later this week for their match on May 11. The nearest option is the Delhi airport but that would mean a long road journey for the teams. We are tracking government advisories and will take the call as necessary,” said a senior BCCI official.Both PBKS and DC haven’t heard anything from the Indian cricket board yet but MI’s travel plan could well be altered. It can’t be confirmed at this stage whether they have cancelled their scheduled flight but there is a bright possibility of that happening if the airport situation doesn’t change. The Hardik Pandya-led unit are currently in Mumbai after their game against Gujarat Titans last night (Tuesday). Dharamsala is set to host two fixtures this week and the current airspace situation could well force the Indian cricket board to keep the alternatives ready.
