Even as the race to the semi-finals heats up in the Indian Premier League (IPL), tackling the opposition isn’t the first thing on the players’ mind — it’s how to beat the biting cold.

With the mercury dipping as the winter peaks, the matches are being played in freezing temperature — it was officially 1 deg C when Delhi Daredevils took on Rajasthan Royals in Bloemfontein on Sunday evening. And it doesn’t help that five of the remaining seven matches are to be played at night.

It’s hardly surprising then that the teams are using various means to keep the players warm. Delhi and Bangalore, who played at the Wanderers on Tuesday night, armed their players with special packets inside their pockets that release heat when squeezed.

There are extended warm-up sessions for the cricketers, who turn up in layers of clothing and tight skins beneath the jerseys. And while it may sound funny, the teams have started using the ice-box as a ‘hot’ box and the players dip their hands in hot water during the strategy breaks. Tillakaratne Dilshan wore a woollen gear beneath his cap to protect his ears.

Ray Jennings, coach of Bangalore Royal Challengers, says the measures are necessary, given the fact that most Indian players aren’t used to playing in these conditions. “We have to ensure that players are warmed up thoroughly, wear more clothing and use heat packets to beat the cold. These are some methods we are trying to use in this tournament,” Jennings says.

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