Slapgate Revisited: Former IPL Commissioner Releases Unseen Footage of Harbhajan-Sreesanth Incident, Sparks Outrage from Sreesanth's Wife

Strategic Insights -

Former Indian cricketer Sreesanth's wife, Bhuvneshwari, has termed the release of unseen footage of the 2008 Indian Premier League (IPL) incident between Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh, also known as 'Slapgate', as "heartless and inhuman" on Michael Clarke's YouTube podcast, Beyond23 Cricket. The incident, which saw Harbhajan Singh slap Sreesanth without provocation, was previously not captured on camera, with only visuals of a sobbing Sreesanth appearing on the official broadcast. The footage, released by former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, has sparked outrage from Sreesanth's family, who feel that they are being forced to relive the trauma caused by the incident.

Key Takeaways:

  • Bhuvneshwari Sreesanth, wife of former Indian cricketer Sreesanth, has termed the release of unseen footage of the 2008 IPL incident as "heartless and inhuman".
  • The footage, released by Lalit Modi on Michael Clarke's YouTube podcast Beyond23 Cricket, shows the moment Harbhajan Singh slapped Sreesanth without provocation during an IPL match in Mohali in 2008.
  • Sreesanth and Harbhajan have both moved on from the incident, with both now being fathers with children, but the release of the footage has reopened an old wound.
  • Bhuvneshwari wrote on Instagram that both Sreesanth and Harbhajan have long moved on, and that Modi and Clarke were trying to reopen an old wound for their own publicity and views.
  • The incident led to Harbhajan being banned for the remainder of the IPL and suspended by the BCCI for five ODIs in 2008.
  • Sreesanth's family is now forced to relive the trauma caused by the incident, with Bhuvneshwari stating that it is "deeply painful" for their family to see this resurface after 18 years.
  • The family fears that their innocent children will have to face questions and shame for no fault of theirs, and that they should be sued for doing something so "cheap and inhuman".

Statistics:

  • The IPL incident occurred on 22 April 2008 (as mentioned in the source).
  • 18 years have passed since the incident.
  • Harbhajan was banned for the remainder of the IPL in 2008.
  • Harbhajan was suspended by the BCCI for 5 ODIs in 2008.

Sources:

  • Beyond23 Cricket (YouTube podcast hosted by Michael Clarke)
  • Instagram (Bhuvneshwari Sreesanth's official account)
  • The Indian Express (article by IE Online Media Services Pvt. Ltd.)