Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has responded to the viral ‘black magic’ row that erupted during the Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings match in IPL 2026. A video of an SRH fan performing a lemon ritual at the stadium went viral on social media, coinciding with the dismissal of CSK batter Shivam Dube.
Meanwhile, a fake letter claiming CSK had lodged an official complaint with the IPL surfaced online. Lalit Modi dismissed the letter as fake. However, he made a bombshell claim that one IPL team owner had indulged in similar superstitious rituals back in the 2011 season.
What Exactly Happened During the SRH vs CSK Match
The incident unfolded during the 17th over of CSK’s run chase at the stadium. Chennai were placed at 154/7 while chasing 194 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Moreover, Shivam Dube was at the crease and widely considered CSK’s final hope of turning the game around.
In the viral clip, an SRH supporter in the stands can be seen holding a lemon, rotating it while muttering something, and then gesturing towards Dube. Moments later, the left hander was bowled by Sakib Hussain, which triggered wild celebrations across the venue.
Consequently, social media exploded with reactions calling the moment either black magic or pure coincidence.
Lalit Modi Dismisses Fake CSK Complaint Letter
An unverified letter, allegedly from CSK, began circulating soon after the video went viral. The document claimed the franchise had complained to the IPL over the ritual performed inside the stadium.
However, Lalit Modi quickly stepped in to debunk the circulating image. According to him, the letter appeared fake this time. Furthermore, he added another cryptic line that caught fan attention, stating one team owner had genuinely indulged in such practices in the past.
As a result, the debate shifted from a single fan ritual to a much bigger question around IPL history.
Lalit Modi Recalls 2011 Incident Involving an IPL Team Owner
The former IPL chairman then dropped a bigger revelation tied to the 2011 season. Modi recalled that one team owner had allegedly performed a superstitious ritual inside the opposing team’s dressing room.
Additionally, he claimed to have alerted the rival owners at the time after receiving an alert backed by concrete proof. He also hinted that all such incidents would be revealed in his upcoming movie or TV series.
In one of his posts, Modi summed up the chaos with a simple line asking whether it was black magic, coincidence, or fake news. Therefore, the story has quickly moved beyond one fan’s lemon and into the murky corners of IPL folklore.
