New Delhi: Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has hit out strongly after the 17-year-old footage of the infamous “Slapgate” incident surfaced online, accusing former IPL chairman Lalit Modi of having “a selfish motive” in making the video public.
The video, which shows Harbhajan slapping pacer S. Sreesanth during post-match handshakes in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League in 2008, was never broadcast earlier. It resurfaced recently when Lalit Modi revealed the footage on Michael Clarke’s podcast ‘Beyond 23’, sparking a storm on social media.
Reacting to the controversy at a Ganesh Chaturthi event, Harbhajan said the manner in which the clip was leaked was wrong and unnecessary.
“The way the video has been leaked, it’s wrong. It shouldn’t have happened. They might have a selfish motive behind it. Something that happened 18 years ago, people have forgotten, and they are reminding people about it,” Harbhajan said.
The 44-year-old also expressed regret over the incident and admitted that it was a mistake.
“I feel bad for whatever happened. We were playing, and everyone had things going on in their mind. Mistakes happened, and we do feel ashamed about it,” he said.
The famous slap in my podcast with @MClarke23 on #beyond23 – 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
Calling the episode “an unfortunate incident,” Harbhajan offered an apology and said he has often admitted his error in the past. “Yes, the video has gone viral. It was an unfortunate incident, and I have said on many occasions that I made a mistake. Humans make mistakes, and I did one too. I have requested Lord Ganesh to forgive me if I make a mistake again. Mistakes happen,” he added.
The original incident occurred after a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab in Mohali. Television cameras did not capture the altercation live, as the broadcast had switched to commercials, but viewers later saw Sreesanth in tears, being consoled by teammates including Irfan Pathan and Mahela Jayawardene. Following an investigation, Harbhajan was found guilty of breaching the IPL code of conduct and was banned for 11 matches, also losing his match fees.
The resurfacing of the clip after nearly two decades has triggered strong reactions from fans and players, reigniting debate over one of IPL’s most controversial moments.