England cricketer Moeen Ali has opened up about the tense days during the temporary suspension of IPL 2025, revealing how escalating tensions between India and Pakistan personally affected him and his family.
Playing for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Moeen was in India when hostilities flared between the two nations. What made the situation deeply unsettling for him was the fact that his parents were in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), dangerously close to the missile strikes during India’s Operation Sindoor.
“It felt like we were in the middle of a war” – Moeen Ali
“My parents were actually in Kashmir at the time… in Pakistan, only about an hour away from where the strikes happened. Maybe a bit farther,” Ali said on the Beard Before Wicket podcast. “So it was a bit crazy, and then they managed to get the only flights out actually on that day. I was glad they got out, but it was crazy.”
He described the panic that spread through the IPL, especially when the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamshala was abruptly suspended. “It felt like we were in the middle of a war,” Ali said. “You’re scrambling to get out of the country… people back home are worried about you, and you’re worried about your family.”
Reflecting on the confusion and fear among players, he added, “Some guys were like, ‘There won’t be a war.’ Others said, ‘There’ll be retaliation.’ There’s so much lying going on, especially from the news outlets, that it’s hard to believe anyone.”
Moeen Ali also praised the KKR management: “They looked after us really well… whatever you want, whatever you need, they supported us.”
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