(CNN)The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been indefinitely suspended as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis in India.
In a statement on Tuesday, tournament organizers said that “while we have tried to bring in some positivity and cheer, however, it is imperative that the tournament is now suspended and everyone goes back to their families and loved ones in these trying times.”
It is unclear when and where the cricket tournament, which attracts the world’s best cricketers on big-money contracts, will resume.
The number of coronavirus cases in India has now crossed 20 million, as the country reported 357,229 cases on Tuesday, according to figures released by the health ministry.
Prior to Tuesday, organizers had pushed ahead with the tournament, despite the withdrawal of several high-profile players and calls for a postponement.
The IPL had been operating under strict bubbles as teams moved between games across the country; for Sunrisers Hyderabad players, that even meant wearing head-to-toe PPE for an internal flight to Delhi.
But with cases surging across the country and with hospitals running out of oxygen and essentials medicines, the game’s administrators were being pressured to do more.
Organizers met with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for an emergency meeting this week and unanimously decided to suspend the tournament.
“The BCCI does not want to compromise on the safety of the players, support staff and the other participants involved in organising the IPL. This decision was taken keeping the safety, health and well-being of all the stakeholders in mind,” read the statement.
