The Panthers accused the Dragons of altering the condition of the ball by using towels “treated with chemicals” during a match on June 14 in Salem.
The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) stated that no evidence of ball tampering was found in that match.
“The towels in question were issued by the TNCA and were accessible to both teams,” TNPL CEO Prasanna Kannan mentioned in a statement.
“The Playing Control Team—including umpires and the match referee—had complete oversight of the ball throughout the match. No issues were raised during play, and no credible evidence has been submitted. The claims seem speculative and retrospective.” The towels were provided by the state cricket association for drying the ball when it became wet, with the process monitored by the on-field umpires.
Consequently, the TNPL requested the Panthers to provide evidence promptly to “substantiate” their claims.
“The allegation looks to be retrospective, speculative, and based exclusively on internal team communications without corroborative evidence,” Kannan wrote in an email, which has been obtained by PTI, addressed to the Panthers.
Earlier, Kannan highlighted that no complaints were made by the on-field umpires or the match referee during or after the game.
“The towels in question were TNCA-issued and equally available to both teams. The Playing Control Team—including umpires and the match referee—had complete oversight of the ball throughout the contest,” he stated.
The TNCA established an internal committee to evaluate the situation.
The situation began when Panthers CEO Mahesh S sent a letter to TNPL alleging “blatant” ball tampering by the reigning champions, the Dragons.
In his correspondence, Mahesh also urged the TNPL executives to investigate the origins of the towels.
In the match held at the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground, the Dragons triumphed over the Panthers by nine wickets.
Batting first, the Panthers scored 150 for 8 in 20 overs, while Ashwin went wicketless, giving away 27 runs in his four overs.
However, he successfully scored 49 runs off 29 balls as an opener, helping the Dragons chase down the target in just 12.3 overs.
