Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh (Video grab)

NEW DELHI: The Harbhajan Singh–Sreesanth altercation remains one of the darkest and most talked-about chapters in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Nearly 18 years later, the infamous “slap-gate” episode has once again come into focus after former IPL chairman Lalit Modi claimed to possess unseen footage of the incident, which he recently revealed on Michael Clarke’s Beyond23 Cricket Podcast.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The controversy dates back to the inaugural IPL season in 2008, during a clash between Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and Mumbai Indians in Mohali. After Punjab’s victory, players were walking off the field when Mumbai’s stand-in skipper Harbhajan Singh shockingly slapped Sreesanth. The fast bowler, who had been his usual fiery self in the match, was later seen crying inconsolably on live television, being comforted by teammates. Though the exact trigger for the altercation was never officially confirmed, reports suggested Sreesanth’s on-field remarks may have provoked Harbhajan.The fallout was immediate and severe. Harbhajan was suspended for the remainder of the season and slapped with an 11-match ban. The BCCI’s disciplinary committee found him guilty of misconduct, and his match fees were forfeited. Although Harbhajan later issued an apology and both players eventually reconciled, the incident has remained etched in IPL folklore.Now, Modi has stirred the pot once again by sharing what he claims is an unseen video of the episode. “It happened. Absolutely. And I’ll tell you what happened,” Modi told Clarke when asked about the altercation. “One of my security cameras was on because I was walking onto the field, and it caught the moment. As players were exchanging handshakes, Bhajji just looked at Sreesanth, said something, and gave him a backhander. That’s what the footage shows.”The video, which Modi says he has “kept back for 18 years,” allegedly captures the moment television cameras missed. “I haven’t put it out for so long. But yes, it happened,” Modi added.WATCH the Harbhajan-Sreesanth slap-gate footage here:While both Harbhajan and Sreesanth have long moved on from their playing days, with both now active in commentary and punditry, the resurfacing of this footage has reignited one of the IPL’s most notorious controversies. Whether the video will finally be released publicly remains to be seen, but the incident once again reminds fans of the fiery early years of the league.(Note: TOI cannot verify the authenticity of the video)