NEW DELHI: Is there such a thing as black magic in cricket? Fans certainly seemed to think so during an IPL 2026 clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings, when a strange lemon ritual in the stands appeared—at least on camera—to swing the game in SRH’s favour.
Viral “black magic” moment in CSK’s chase
- The incident unfolded in the 17th over of Chennai’s innings, as CSK were placed at 154/7 while chasing a target of 194.
- At the crease was Shivam Dube, a batter known for changing the tempo when the match is heading the wrong way for his side—making SRH’s need for his wicket especially urgent.
- A video that quickly went viral showed an SRH supporter holding a lemon and appearing to perform a brief ritual, rotating it while muttering something before pointing toward Dube.
- As Dube prepared to face Sakib Hussain, the gesture was followed by immediate impact: Dube was dismissed just moments later.
- The stadium erupted in celebration once the wicket fell, with many fans tying the outcome to the “black magic” moment they had just witnessed on screen.
How Dube was dismissed
Sakib Hussain struck with a fast, full delivery aimed at the middle stump. Dube missed the line completely, and the ball came off the pitch quickly, rushing him as he attempted a flick. He appeared late on the shot, and the ball may have clipped his pad before finding the stumps. With little movement of his feet, Dube looked as though he anticipated a slower ball. The setback ended his stay at 21 runs off 16 deliveries, and he walked back disappointed.
In the end, Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Chennai Super Kings by 10 runs. The win lifted SRH to fourth place in the points table and also halted CSK’s momentum, snapping a two-match winning run.
Ishan Kishan on SRH’s bowling and the chase gap
After the match, SRH captain Ishan Kishan praised the way the younger bowlers executed their plans, saying they were not only executing accurately but also bringing their own ideas into the contest. He added that with SRH ahead in the game, it reduced pressure on the captain to constantly adjust the field.
On the batting performance and whether the total was short, Kishan said that Abhishek’s early dismissal left SRH under pressure, and that while 60-odd runs were scored, the side typically benefits from one batter among the first three who makes a big impact. He suggested they might have been around 20 runs short on the day.
When asked about trusting their young bowlers, Kishan pointed to what he had seen in practice—how the group was working to improve day by day—and said that the best approach was to give them the ball and let them carry out their plans. He also felt the pitch played fair for batting, which, in his view, meant SRH could have been 30 to 40 runs better with their shot selection. He concluded that there was plenty to learn from the match, including how they chose their shots.
On the points table, Kishan stressed that the team was not focusing on it at the moment, preferring to take the tournament “one match at a time” with a calm, focused mindset.
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s next match will be against Delhi Capitals on April 21.
