In a strong and symbolic response to the recent terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam, Indian broadcasters FanCode and Sony Sports India have suspended all coverage of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025. The decision comes just days after 26 tourists were killed in a heinous assault reportedly orchestrated by The Resistance Front, a proxy group of the banned Pakistan-based terror organization Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The incident, which sent shockwaves across the country, unfolded on April 22 in Baisaran Valley, a picturesque tourist site near Srinagar. As the nation continues to mourn the tragedy, Indian media houses have begun severing cricketing ties with Pakistan in protest and solidarity.
On April 23, just a day after the terror strike, FanCode pulled the plug on its PSL 2025 streaming, notably opting not to broadcast the scheduled fixture between Multan Sultans and Islamabad United. The platform has since removed all PSL-related content and schedules from both its app and official website.
Sony Sports India, the official television rights holder for PSL in India, followed suit by blacking out all PSL-related programming, matches, and studio analysis shows from its schedule. Both broadcasters, as of now, have not released official statements explaining the duration or future of this suspension.
The move aligns with a broader wave of disconnection being led at the national level. The Indian government, in response to Pakistan’s alleged continued support of cross-border terrorism, has reportedly revoked all Pakistani visas and placed the historic Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance — a clear signal of escalating diplomatic breakdown.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also reaffirmed its unwavering position. Vice-President Rajeev Shukla stated on Thursday, April 24, that there will be “no bilateral cricket series with Pakistan under the current circumstances”. He emphasized that the board stands with the national sentiment and will continue to reflect the country’s stance on international platforms.
In a gesture of unity and mourning, the IPL 2025 fixture between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians, held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, observed a minute’s silence before kickoff on Wednesday evening. Players from both sides, umpires, support staff, and on-air commentators wore black armbands throughout the match as a mark of respect for the victims.
The blackout of PSL 2025 broadcasts and the nationwide outpouring of grief underscores a growing call within Indian civil society, politics, and sports to completely isolate Pakistan until concrete steps are taken to dismantle terror infrastructure operating from its soil.
While the immediate fate of PSL 2025’s Indian broadcast remains uncertain, the symbolic boycott sends a strong and emotionally charged message — that cricket cannot be insulated from the pain and suffering inflicted on innocent civilians, and that moments of silence must now be met with action.
