Lalit Modi releases unseen 2008 IPL video of Harbhajan and Sreesanth

Former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi on Friday released previously unseen video of the 2008 "slapgate" between Mumbai Indians offspinner Harbhajan Singh and Kings XI Punjab pacer S Sreesanth, showing Harbhajan striking Sreesanth during the customary postmatch handshake after a match in Mohali. The clip, which Modi said was captured by a security camera after the televised feed had gone to commercials, has circulated widely on social media and reignited debate over one of the league's earliest controversies.

Modi unveiled the raw footage during an interview with former Australian captain Michael Clarke on the Beyond23 podcast and later posted it on social media. "The game was over, cameras were shut off. One of my security cameras was on. It caught the incident between Sreesanth and Bhajji Harbhajan, and Bhajji just gives him a backhander. Here is the video," Modi said on the podcast, according to the recording.

The video shows Harbhajan making contact with Sreesanth during the postmatch handshake, after which Sreesanth is seen upset and is consoled by teammates including Mahela Jayawardene. The incident occurred during the inaugural IPL season in 2008 after Kings XI...