17 Years Later, ‘Slapgate’ Footage Surfaces: Harbhajan-Sreesanth Controversy Reignited in IPL History
New Delhi, 29th August 2025: Seventeen years after the Indian Premier League (IPL) began, a controversial moment from its inaugural season has resurfaced. The infamous ‘Slapgate’ incident, when Mumbai Indians bowler Harbhajan Singh slapped Kings XI Punjab player Sreesanth on the field in 2008, has once again captured public attention after the video footage was revealed by IPL founder and former chairman Lalit Modi.
The revelation came during a podcast hosted by former Australian captain Michael Clarke, where Modi shared that the video had remained hidden for nearly two decades. “I kept it safely all these years,” Modi said. “The match was over, the cameras were off, but one of my security cameras captured the incident clearly. Harbhajan slapped Sreesanth with a backhand while I was present.”
The incident occurred on April 25, 2008, after Mumbai Indians suffered a 66-run defeat to Punjab in Mohali. Reports later revealed that Harbhajan had been angered by Sreesanth’s reactions and comments following the loss. In the video, both players can be seen moving towards each other, but the scuffle was quickly diffused by teammates Irfan Pathan and Mahela Jayawardene.
Modi explained that there were calls for a lifetime ban against Harbhajan, but he intervened to moderate the punishment. “I made them both sit and decided to suspend Bhajji for eight matches. Some officials wanted a lifetime suspension, but I believed the eight-match ban was sufficient,” Modi said.
The fallout from the incident was immediate. Sreesanth’s emotional response, captured on camera, made headlines worldwide. Harbhajan faced an eight-match suspension and was fined his match fee. Despite the controversy, both players have since reconciled, moving past the bitter episode.
Harbhajan has openly expressed regret over the incident multiple times. In a recent conversation with teammate Ravichandran Ashwin, the veteran spinner described it as the “worst moment” of his life. “What happened was wrong, and I should not have done it. I apologized hundreds of times and will continue to do so,” he said. Harbhajan also shared the emotional impact on Sreesanth’s family, recounting an encounter with Sreesanth’s daughter. “She told me she didn’t want to talk to me because she thought I ‘killed’ her father. My heart broke hearing this,” he said.
The resurfacing of this video has reignited debate across social media and cricket forums, reminding fans of one of the IPL’s earliest controversies. Cricket analysts have called it a dark chapter in IPL history, while also acknowledging the professionalism both players showed in moving forward and forgiving each other.
Despite the incident’s revival in public discourse, the IPL has continued its growth, emerging as the world’s richest and most popular T20 league, while the Harbhajan-Sreesanth episode remains a cautionary tale of on-field passion and the lasting consequences of a single moment of anger.
