What sport events to track after IPL 2025 suspension amid India-Pakistan conflict. All you need to know

What else to watch in the month of May while the IPL 2025 season is suspended for the upcoming week.

With the playoff race really heating up in IPL 2025, the suspension of the tournament leaves a gap for all cricket and sports fans. But the lack of IPL action on our televisions for the coming week only present an opportunity to turn elsewhere for the fill of sports, with several notable events coming up in the month of May. Here are a few across various sports to keep an eye on through the upcoming weeks before the IPL’s likely return.

India in action during the Women's ODI Tri-Series in Sri Lanka.(SLC)

Cricket

11 May — India vs Sri Lanka Women’s Tri-Series Final

The country’s Sunday cricket fix could come in the form of the Indian women’s team, stepping up their preparations for the home World Cup later this year as they play Sri Lanka in a Tri-Series final at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Both teams finished ahead of South Africa, and Harmanpreet Kaur’s team head into this contest as slight favourites given their consistency. Can they seal a win, or will Sri Lanka pack another surprise punch after their Asia Cup final victory in the same fixture in 2024?

28 May — England vs Zimbabwe One-Off Test

England are set to host Zimbabwe in a bilateral encounter for the first time in 22 years, welcoming the Chevrons to Trent Bridge in Nottingham for a solitary Test to begin their international summer. For Indian fans, this will be a match that will provide an idea about the form England take into the five-match Test series next month, as well as a look at upcoming players that might feature over the course of that series. Do Zimbabwe have enough juice for a historic upset?

Football

11 May — FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Crucial El Clasico in La Liga

No double header Sunday in the IPL, but that only means your Sunday evening prime time is freed up to watch arguably the biggest football match of the season so far. Four points separate Barcelona at the top of the table from Real Madrid in second place, and with just four matches to go in La Liga, this is the game that could either all but decide the title race, or make it a tense race to the finish line. A can’t-miss encounter.

22 May — Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur, UEFA Europa League final 

While they have had disappointing domestic seasons thus far, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspurs both have the opportunity to crown the year with a trophy in the Europa League — and in going so, book a spot in the Champions League for next campaign. A lot on the line in this match set to be played in Bilbao, between two historic English teams.

Other sports

Elsewhere, the clay court season in tennis sees the Italian Open in Rome, with the best men’s and women’s tennis players competing in their respective 1000-level events. The return of world number one and home favourite Jannik Sinner from his doping suspension the headliner, before Roland Garros begins towards the end of this month.

Also in Italy, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix will see Formula One action begin in the European stretch for the summer, a crucial period in which the Drivers’ Championship will begin to take shape.

Lastly, playoff action heats up in the NBA, with the Conference Semifinals rounds seeing some mouth-watering contests, being broadcast on Youtube in India every morning for a sporting start to the day.