Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has reacted to the viral "black magic" controversy that circulated online following the IPL 2026 clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings, after a photoshopped complaint letter allegedly filed by CSK was exposed as fake.
The controversy began after a video from the April 18 match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad went viral on social media. In the clip, an SRH fan was seen performing a traditional lemon ritual in the stands while CSK were chasing a target of 194. Moments later, Shivam Dube was dismissed, which sparked a flood of memes and jokes linking the dismissal to the ritual.
Soon after, a fabricated letter began circulating online claiming that Chennai Super Kings had filed
an official complaint with the BCCI alleging the use of black magic and voodoo rituals by opposition fans. The document appeared official, featuring what looked like formal formatting and a signature, which led many users to believe it was genuine.
. @ChennaiIPL lodged a complaint with @BCCI https://t.co/kvPTdZNCn1 pic.twitter.com/XsPOAWu9cJ
- Maximus Chaturvedi 🪷 (@PsychoSainik) April 19, 2026
However, the claim was quickly debunked, with multiple fact-checking accounts clarifying that no such complaint had been filed. Telangana-based social media handle TGGovtUpdates also confirmed that the letter was entirely fabricated and had no official backing from CSK, SRH or the BCCI.
Lalit Modi weighs in on viral claims
Amid the online frenzy, former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi reacted to the controversy through a post on social media, suggesting that similar concerns had surfaced in the past.
"I remember I posted some team owner doing this to the opposing team. By doing exactly this themselves in opposing team dressing room. I even alerted the opposing team owners about this way back in 2011 season - when it happened and I got an alert with concrete proof. I will reveal all these type of activities conducted by whom in the movie / TV series as decided by my team to disclose," he wrote.
He later added another comment questioning the nature of the incident, writing, "Black magic or coincidence? Or fake news. "
His remarks added further intrigue to the online chatter, though there has been no official confirmation supporting any supernatural allegations.
How the CSK Black Magic viral hoax began
The viral rumour gained traction primarily because of the timing of Shivam Dube's dismissal during the SRH vs CSK match. SRH had posted 194/9 in their innings and successfully defended the total, restricting CSK to 184/8 to secure a 10-run victory.
During CSK's chase, the now-viral video showed an SRH fan rotating a lemon near his face while performing gestures that appeared directed toward the field. Shortly afterward, Dube was dismissed for 21 runs off 16 balls in the 17th over, when CSK were at 154/7.
The coincidence sparked humorous reactions online, with fans joking about supernatural influence. What began as banter soon escalated into misinformation once the fabricated complaint letter started circulating widely across platforms.
The situation was further fueled by the fact that CSK had recently filed a legitimate complaint earlier in the season against a stadium DJ for playing songs perceived as stereotyping Chennai players. That earlier incident made the fake letter appear more believable to some users.
No official complaint filed
Despite the widespread circulation of the alleged complaint, there has been no official statement from Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, or the BCCI confirming any such grievance.
Fact-checking sources and cricket-related social media accounts have confirmed that the letter claiming supernatural complaints was entirely fabricated and part of social media trolling typical of IPL rivalries.
The viral episode highlights how quickly misinformation can spread during high-profile tournaments, especially when humour, superstition, and intense fan rivalry intersect. While the lemon ritual video itself was harmless fan activity, the fake letter transformed a light-hearted moment into a misleading narrative that gained significant traction online.
