The ugly on-field spat between Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth was one of the most ugliest controversies in the IPL. The incident that happened in 2008 is still one of the most talked-about events that ever happened in the IPL.
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In 2008, during a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab, Harbhajan, then playing for the Mumbai Indians, slapped S Sreesanth who was playing for the Kings XI Punjab. Harbhajan, who was known to be angry and expressive as a cricketer, slapped his former Indian teammate out of sheer anger.
That infamous incident is known as the “slapgate incident. Now, almost 18 years later since the incident happened, IPL founder Lalit Modi in an interview with former Australian captain Michael Clarke, released an unseen footage from the same incident that has gone viral on social media.
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I Hadn't Put It Out For So Long - Lalit Modi On The Infamous Slapgate Incident
Lalit Modi shared the piece of footage that had originally not been shown in the worldwide telecast and also spoke exclusively about it in his interaction with Clarke.
"The game was over, cameras were shut off. One of my security cameras was on. It caught the incident between Sreesanth and Bhajji (Harbhajan), and Bhajji just gives him a back-hander. Here's the video. "I hadn't put it out for so long. We have 18 years behind us for this," said Modi, before showing the footage of the actual incident.
The former Indian spinner has time and again apologised for his act back in the day in several interviews that he appeared in. Recently, he again spoke about it while talking to former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
"One thing I'd want to change in my life is that incident with Sreesanth. I want to remove that incident from my career. That is the incident I would change from my list. What transpired was wrong and I shouldn't have done what I did. I apologised 200 times. What I felt so bad was even years after that incident, I have been apologising every opportunity or stage I get. It was a mistake” said Bhajji.
Harbhajan Recalls Interaction With Sreesanth's Daughter
The Turbanator further revealed how the response from Sreesanth’s daughter in a recent meeting left him shattered in disbelief, only to curse himself for something he should not have done years back.
"What hurt me even after many years was when I met his daughter and I was talking to her with a lot of love and she said, 'I don't want to talk to you. You hit my father.' My heart was shattered and I was on the verge of tears. I was asking myself what is the impression I've left on her? She must be thinking of me in a poor light, right? She sees me as the guy who hit her father. I felt so bad. I still apologise to his daughter," Harbhajan revealed.
Both Harbhajan and Sreesanth have retired from the IPL since that incident and have taken to television commentary. Harbhajan is far more regular with his commentary stints than Sreesanth.
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