New Delhi: Former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi snapped back at ex-India pacer S Sreesanth’s wife Bhuvneshwari while defending his decision to release unseen footage of the infamous ‘Slapgate’ incident from IPL 2008. The fugitive Indian businessman was recently criticised by Sreesanth’s wife for rekindling controversy over the infamous incident by releasing the video.
The controversy reignited after Modi spoke about the ‘Slapgate’ incident during his latest appearance on former Australia cricketer Michael Clarke’s Beyond23 Cricket Podcast. On the podcast, Modi also revealed unseen footage of the incident, which showed Harbhajan slapping Sreesanth during the post-match handshakes following a game between the Mumbai Indians and the Kings XI Punjab.
Sreesanth was part of the Kings XI Punjab squad, while Harbhajan was playing for the Mumbai Indians. In the footage, Harbhajan can be seen hitting Sreesanth with a backhanded slap before the duo is separated by their teammates. The infamous incident saw Harbhajan getting banned for 11 matches. However, the two cricketers have since buried their differences and continue to share a great bond off the field.
“I don’t know why she (Sreesanth’s wife Bhuvneshwari) is getting angry. I was asked a question, and I shared the truth. I can’t do anything about that. I am known to speak the truth. Sree was the victim, and that’s exactly what I said. No one had asked me this question earlier, so when Clarke quipped, I responded,” Modi told IANS, responding to Sreesanth’s wife’s criticism.
Lalit Modi has released the raw, unseen footage of the incident that took place between Harbhajan and Sreesanth
Harbhajan has recently expressed his regret about the slapgate incident with Sreesanth.
pic.twitter.com/7otQXekOBa— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) August 29, 2025
What did S Sreesanth’s wife say?
Sreesanth’s wife Bhuvneshwari took to social media to lash out at both Modi and Clarke for reviving the old controversy by releasing the unseen video. Describing their decision to release the unseen video as ‘disgusting, heartless and inhuman’, Bhuvneshwari slammed the duo for digging old wounds when both Harbhajan and Sreesanth have moved on from the infamous incident.
“Shame on you Lalit Modi and Michael Clarke. You people are not even human to drag up something from 2008 just for your own cheap publicity and views. Both Sreesanth 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,” Sreesanth’s wife wrote on her Instagram story.
Meanwhile, during the podcast, Modi revealed the incident was not captured by the broadcasters at the time; however, he got the footage, which was captured by his private security camera. Sreesanth and Harbhajan played together for India for several years after the incident and were part of the team that won the 2011 ODI World Cup under MS Dhoni’s captaincy.
Harbhajan has also gone on record, apologising to Sreesanth on several occasions for his mistake. The former India spinner had also shared a heartbreaking incident, where Sreesanth’s young daughter questioned him about hitting her father, which left him shattered.