Heat levels in Nearly half of IPL 2025 Matches in India Reached Dangerous Highs: Report – carboncopy.info

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During the heatwave, players are prone to cramps, severe fluid and weight loss, fatigue, and heatstroke. Photo:BCCI
Report shows that over a third of matches played under “extreme caution” conditions
A new study titled ‘Hit for Six: The Danger Zone’ revealed that elite cricketers played half this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, held across India, took place under conditions classified as meriting either “Extreme Caution” or “Danger” on the Heat Index— a measure that combines air temperature and humidity to assess heat-related risk. 
The report revealed that more than 36% of 2025 IPL games took place under ‘Extreme Caution’ conditions where heat exhaustion becomes a serious threat, with a further 12% reaching a “Danger” classification where the risk of heatstroke becomes significant.
The report was published by the British Association for Sustainability in Sport (BASIS), Climate Central, Frontrunners and The Next Test. A total of 65 IPL matches played were assessed for the study. 
Mike Tipton, Professor of human and applied physiology at the Extreme Environments Laboratory, School of Sport, Health, and Exercise Science at the University of Portsmouth said, “We’re witnessing a clear trend towards more frequent and more intense heat conditions for key cricketing nations. Players are now being asked to perform in environments that are not just uncomfortable, but potentially dangerous, with rising temperatures and humidity levels pushing human physiology towards its upper limits. This isn’t just about performance — it’s increasingly a question of player safety.”
The report charted a sharp rise in hazardous heat days at almost every major cricket stadium in India since 1970. In Mumbai, the number of these high-risk heat days has jumped by 125%, while Thiruvananthapuram recorded more than 100 hazardous heat days in 2024 alone. These are days when temperatures exceed safe limits for human health, dramatically increasing the risk of heat-related illness.
This pattern is not just limited to India. Many cricket playing nations like Pakistan, Australia, and South Africa also saw a significant surge in extreme heat days.
The report also showed that the extreme heat also intensified the effects of air pollution. It was found that not a single match recorded air quality within the ‘Good’ category of the Air Quality Index. While conditions did not reach the “Severe” or “Hazardous” levels, nearly half of the matches, 34 in total (47%), were classified as “Poor.”
Kristina Dahl, VP of Science at Climate Central said, “Across India, climate change is increasing the number of days when extreme heat threatens the health of both cricket fans and cricket players. This trend toward more frequent, more extreme heat will continue as long as we keep burning fossil fuels, so preserving the future of cricket will require both cutting carbon pollution and considering ways to adapt cricket seasons to keep players and fans safe.”
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