The bizarre ‘black magic’ controversy during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has taken another twist after a viral letter, purportedly from Chennai Super Kings, was dismissed as fake by former IPL chairman Lalit Modi. While brushing off the claim, Modi also hinted that such incidents may not be completely unheard of in the league’s past.
The controversy stemmed from a viral video during Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings clash on 19th April followed by an unverified letter of complaint circulating online. Speaking on the matter through social media, Modi termed the letter suspicious and hinted at similar past events.
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“This time it looks fake. But one team owner indulged in this type of training,” Modi wrote in his post.
“I remember sending out some team owner who was doing this to the opposing team. By doing exactly this themselves in the opponent’s locker room. I even brought this to the attention of the opposing team’s owners back in the 2011 season – when it happened and I got a notice with concrete proof. I will expose all of these types of activities that anyone in the movie/TV series does as my team chooses to make public,” he added.
The claims added another layer to what was already a bizarre episode, although there was no official confirmation from the IPL authorities or the franchises involved regarding the authenticity of the letter or the alleged act.
WHAT WAS THE SRH vs CSK BLACK MAGIC INCIDENT?
The controversy started during the clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, in a match that ebbed and flowed till the very end.
Chasing 195, CSK got off to a flying start, racing to 76 in the powerplay and looking firmly in control. However, SRH clawed their way back with a disciplined bowling effort, gradually slowing down and dragging the contest deep by removing key batsmen including Shivam Dube.
It was during this phase that the now viral moment unfolded. A fan in the stands appeared to do the ‘lemon trick’ and soon after Sakib Hussain bowled a full delivery that brought Dube down. The timing of the dismissal made it one of the key moments of the match that changed the momentum as CSK began to lose control.
The drama didn’t end there. Praful Hinge, who defended 18 runs in the final over, had conceded heavily earlier, almost faltering after he dropped the ball at waist height. But he recovered under pressure and delivered three tight balls at the death to restrict CSK to 184/8 and seal a memorable win for SRH.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
20 Apr 2026 08:22 IST
