• Source:JND
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IPL: The first season of the IPL was overshadowed by a controversial incident, which was the slapgate incident between Indian cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth. No one knows what really happened during MI's match against Kings XI Punjab way back in 2008, as the video was never made public. But after 18 years, the unseen video had gone viral on social media.

Lalit Modi, who is the founder of the IPL, had shared a video of the incident on his official Instagram account, where Harbhajan Singh, who was representing MI back then, was seen giving a slap to Sreesanth, who was playing for the Punjab-based franchise.

During an interview with the Beyond 23 cricket podcast with ex-Australian skipper Michael Clarke, Modi had posted a video of the incident, which the whole cricket world had never seen before.

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“It happened absolutely. It was Bhajji, it was Sreesanth. The players are going, thanking each other, shaking hands. Sreesanth and Bhajji… Bhajji just looks at him and just gives him a backhander," Modi was heard as saying on Michael Clarke's podcast.

“I sat them both down, and I had to penalise Bhajji in the meeting. I did penalise him for 8 games," he said.

Watch the video here:

Harbhajan has time and again apologised to Sreeshanth for his actions, especially on public platforms.

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During an interaction with R Ashwin on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan showed his regret about this particular incident with Sreeshanth.

“One thing I’d want to change in my life is the incident with Sreesanth. I want to remove that incident from my career. That is the incident I would change from my list. What transpired was wrong, and I shouldn’t have done what I did. I apologised 200 times. What I felt so bad about was that even years after that incident, I have been apologizing every opportunity or stage I get. It was a mistake," Harbhajan was quoted as saying on Ashwin's YouTube channel.

“What hurt me even after many years was when I met his daughter, and I was talking to her with a lot of love, and she said, ‘I don’t want to talk to you. You hit my father.’ My heart was shattered, and I was on the verge of tears. I was asking myself what impression I’ve left on her. She must be thinking of me in a poor light, right? She sees me as the guy who hit her father. I felt so bad. I still apologise to his daughter," he concluded.