Eighteen years after the infamous ‘Slapgate’ incident shook the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League, fans now have a chance to witness the controversy firsthand. IPL founder and former chairman Lalit Modi recently released raw, unseen footage of the altercation between Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth, during a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab in 2008.
The episode, which saw Harbhajan – then captaining MI – slap Sreesanth on the field, instantly became one of cricket’s most talked-about controversies. While the incident was widely reported at the time, the actual visuals had never been publicly shared – until now.
Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, hosted by World Cup-winning Australian captain Michael Clarke, Modi revealed that a private security camera had captured the moment.
“The game was over, the broadcast cameras were off. One of my security cameras caught the incident. Bhajji just gave him a back-hander. Here’s the video,” Modi said, before airing the long-hidden clip.
Modi also explained why he waited nearly two decades to make the footage public.
“I hadn’t put it out for so long. We have 18 years behind us for this,” he remarked.
One of the wildest moments in IPL history, Unseen footage of the Bhajji–Sreesanth slapgate that never been aired#IPL pic.twitter.com/E9Ux8bodOW
— Vishal (@Fanpointofviews) August 29, 2025
The video release follows months after Harbhajan himself publicly reflected on the incident and apologised. In a candid conversation with fellow spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan admitted,
“If there’s one thing I could change in my career, it would be that incident with Sreesanth. It was wrong, and I apologised countless times. Even years later, I still keep apologising whenever it comes up. It was a mistake.”
While the IPL has grown into cricket’s most celebrated and lucrative league, the resurfacing of the slapgate video is a stark reminder of its early turbulent years – where passion, intensity, and controversy often collided both on and off the field.
As fans revisit this moment from the IPL’s maiden season, the incident remains a pivotal chapter in the league’s history – a reminder that cricket, like life, is as much about human emotions as it is about records and trophies.
