Bhuvneshwari Sreesanth, wife of former Indian cricketer S. Sreesanth, criticized former IPL chairman Lalit Modi and ex-Australian cricketer Michael Clarke for releasing previously unseen footage of the 2008 IPL “slapgate” incident.
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Former Indian cricketer S Sreesanth’s wife Bhuvneshwari slammed former IPL chairman Lalit Modi and former Australia captain Michael Clarke for releasing an unseen video of the infamous ‘slapgate’ incident from the inaugural 2008 season of the cash-rich league.
Bhuvneshwari’s reaction came after Lalit, during a recent podcast with Clarke, unveiled footage of the altercation between Sreesanth and former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. The video, aired on Clarke’s Beyond23 Cricket Podcast on August 29, 2025, shows Harbhajan slapping Sreesanth after a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab in Mohali during the IPL 2008 season.
Bhuvneshwari slammed the act from Lalit and Clarke, calling it “disgusting, heartless, and inhuman” and accusing them of resurfacing the 17-year-old incident for “cheap publicity and views.”
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The famous slap in my podcast with @MClarke23 – part 3 of my podcast. I love @harbhajan_singh – but after 17 years it was time to reveal it. Lots and lots more to reveal but that will now only be in the movie that’s in the works supervised by @SnehaRajani on my… pic.twitter.com/EhPaIRAZ0F — Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) August 29, 2025
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The famous slap in my podcast with @MClarke23 – part 3 of my podcast. I love @harbhajan_singh – but after 17 years it was time to reveal it. Lots and lots more to reveal but that will now only be in the movie that’s in the works supervised by @SnehaRajani on my… pic.twitter.com/EhPaIRAZ0F — Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) August 29, 2025
The former India pacer’s wife highlighted that both Sreesanth and Harbhajan have moved on, are now fathers with school-going children, and that the video’s release reopens old wounds, causing pain to their families.
“Shame on you @lalitkmodi and @michaelclarkeofficial. You are not even human to drag up something from 2008 for your own cheap publicity and views. Both @sreesanthnair36 and Harbhajan have long moved on; they are fathers now with school-going children, and yet you try to throw them back into an old wound. Absolutely disgusting, heartless, and inhuman,” Bhuvneshwari wrote on her Instagram story.
“This doesn’t just hurt the players, it scars their innocent children who now have to face questions and shame for no fault of theirs,” she added.
Bhuvneshwari also called for accountability and said that Lalit and Clarke should be sued for “doing something so cheap and inhumane”.
“You should be sued for doing something so cheap and inhumane. Sreesanth is a man of strength and character, and no video can take that dignity away from him. Fear God before you hurt families and innocent children for your own gain” she said.
Meanwhile, Sreesanth shared his wife’s post, reinforcing her message that reopening old wounds is unnecessary.
What Happened During Infamous IPL Slapgate Incident?
The Indian Premier League (IPL) witnessed its first major on-field controversy in 2008 when allegations surfaced that Harbhajan had slapped Sreesanth after Mumbai Indians’ defeat to Kings XI Punjab (then known as Kings XI Punjab) in a match.
During the incident, the broadcast had switched to a commercial break, causing viewers to miss the altercation. When the live coverage returned, startling visuals of a tearful Sreesanth on the field left the cricketing world shocked and triggered widespread outrage.
A previously unseen video that later went viral on social media revealed that then-Mumbai Indians captain Harbhajan Singh struck Sreesanth with a backhanded slap under the eye during the post-match handshake between the two sides.
The incident sparked an angry reaction from Sreesanth, who charged toward Harbhajan, leading the spinner to react in the same manner. A physical clash was narrowly averted as Irfan Pathan and Mahela Jayawardene swiftly stepped in to break up the confrontation.
The shocking incident drew massive media attention and harsh criticism of Harbhajan’s conduct, prompting him to apologise for the physical altercation. A disciplinary hearing followed, resulting in Harbhajan being suspended for the remainder of the season. Later, the BCCI imposed a five-match ODI ban on the spinner for slapping Sreesanth.
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Avinash Kumar is a sports journalist with Zee News English and specialises in conducting exclusive interviews and ground reporting, having covered multiple tournaments like the ODI World Cup, IPL, … Read more
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