When the world is troubled by wars, sports can get caught in a web of uncertainty. As the US, Israel and Iran continue to rain missiles on West Asia, international competitions in the Gulf are being taken off the calendar and national tournaments are getting trimmed. Koneru Humpy withdrew from Candidates Chess because she was not feeling safe about competing in Cyprus, which is facing missile attacks. Cricket is getting affected, too. The Pakistan Cricket Board, noting the country’s energy conservation measures such as school closures, increased work-from-home options and a government bar on non-essential travel, announced that all matches in the initial part of its T20 league would be played behind closed doors. The Pakistan Super League, which starts on Wednesday, will not have an opening ceremony and will be played without spectators, that too at only two venues instead of the earlier-planned six. This will financially affect the league that was supposed to be a lifeline for the sport in the country.
This may come as a mild warning for the Indian Premier League. The two are not comparable on money, glamour and size, with the PSL paling in comparison to the behemoth that’s the IPL. But with the energy crisis looming, things can spiral down quite quickly. The governing council of IPL, which commences on March 28, is keeping a very close watch on the unfurling events. Though players from Australia and New Zealand are unlikely to be affected, those from South Africa and West Indies might find it difficult to travel to India.
The tournament should keep the welfare of fans in mind as well. Though the Indian government has assured there will be no scarcity, IPL would do well not to repeat what happened during its 2021 edition, when it came under severe criticism for continuing with the event despite the raging pandemic. The league was eventually suspended for a few months. Even this time, IPL needs to be careful to not hurt sentiments. There should not be a situation where players and VIPs are seen enjoying privileges in a stadium while fans are queuing up outside to buy gas cylinders.