The Union Health Ministry has urged the Indian Premier League (IPL) to ban all tobacco and alcohol advertising, including surrogate promotions, during matches and telecasts, citing public health concerns. In a letter to IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal, the Director General of Health Services also called for prohibiting the sale of such products at all IPL-affiliated events and sports facilities. The letter also sent to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, emphasized that tobacco and alcohol are major contributors to India’s rising burden of non-communicable diseases, which account for over 70% of annual deaths. It highlighted tobacco and alcohol as major contributors to India’s rising non-communicable disease burden, responsible for over 70% of annual deaths. The IPL season will begin from 22nd of this month.