"Slapgate’ IPL 2008: Harbhajan Slaps Sreesanth, Lalit Modi Releases Video"

Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has recently brought the infamous 2008 'slapgate' incident involving Harbhajan Singh and S. Sreesanth back into the public eye. During an appearance on Michael Clarke's "Beyond23 Cricket Podcast," Modi claimed to have an unseen video of the altercation, which occurred during the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Here is a summary of the complete news surrounding the incident:

The Original Incident (2008 IPL)

• The altercation took place during a match between Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and Mumbai Indians in Mohali.

• After Kings XI Punjab's victory, players from both teams were exchanging handshakes.

• During this, Mumbai Indians' stand-in captain, Harbhajan Singh, allegedly slapped Sreesanth, who was playing for Kings XI Punjab.

• Sreesanth was later seen on television crying inconsolably, being comforted by his teammates.

• The exact trigger for the fight was never officially confirmed, but reports at the time suggested Sreesanth may have provoked Harbhajan with some on-field remarks.

• As a result of the incident, Harbhajan was suspended for the remainder of the season and fined.

Lalit Modi's Recent Revelation (2025)

• Lalit Modi, who was the chairman of the IPL at the time, has stated that he possesses a video of the incident that was not shown on television.

• According to Modi, the television cameras were turned off after the match, but his personal security camera captured the moment.

• In the podcast, Modi described the footage, stating that as the players were shaking hands, Harbhajan "just looked at Sreesanth, said something, and gave him a backhander."

• Modi said that he had kept the video private for almost two decades.

Reactions and Fallout

• The resurfacing of this old controversy has drawn strong reactions.

• Sreesanth's wife, Bhuvaneshwari, issued a strong statement on social media, condemning Modi and Clarke for bringing up the old incident for "cheap publicity." She said that both players have moved on and are now fathers, and that the incident's re-emergence is traumatic for their families and children.

• She also claimed that the podcast's page deleted her comments, and that the move was "disgusting, heartless, and inhuman."

• Sreesanth and Harbhajan have long since reconciled and have even played together on the same teams for India. Harbhajan has publicly expressed regret about the incident on multiple occasions, calling it one of the biggest regrets of his life.