Former India off-spinner R Ashwin and Dindigul Dragons, the team he captains in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), have been cleared of ball-tampering charges after allegations were levelled against them by Seicham Madurai Panthers.

The Panthers accused Dragons of tampering with the ball by using towels "treated with chemicals" during a match on June 14 at Salem. However, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) said it found no evidence of ball-tampering in the said game.

"The towels in quest

ion were TNCA-issued and equally available to both teams," the TNPL CEO Prasanna Kannan said in a statement.

"The Playing Control Team-including umpires and the match referee-maintained full oversight of the ball throughout the match. No concerns were raised during play, and no verifiable evidence has been provided. The claims appear speculative and post-facto in nature."

The towels were provided by the state cricket association to wipe the ball if it got wet. The drying was done in the presence of the on field umpires.

Therefore, the TNPL had asked the Panthers to submit proof at the earliest to "substantiate" their charges.

"The allegation appears to be post-facto, speculative in nature and based solely on internal team communications without supporting evidence," Kannan had written in his mail, which is in PTI's possession, to the Panthers.

Earlier in the day, Kannan noted that no complaint was lodged by the on-field umpires or the match referee during or after the match.

"The towels in question were TNCA-issued and equally available to both teams. The Playing Control Team, including umpires and the match referee, maintained full oversight of the ball throughout the match," he had said.

The TNCA had formed an internal committee to discuss the issue.

The chain of events started when Panthers CEO Mahesh S wrote to TNPL claiming "blatant' ball tampering by defending champions Dragons.

In his letter, Mahesh also asked the TNPL top-brass to conduct a probe into the source of towels.

In the match at the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground, Dragons defeated Panthers by nine wickets.

Batting first, Panthers made 150 for 8 in 20 overs but Ashwin went wicketless, while conceding 27 runs in his four overs.

However, he made a 29-ball 49 while batting as an opener as Dragons chased down the target in 12.3 overs.

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