Slap-Gate Saga Reignites: Lalit Modi Baffled by Sreesanth's Wife's Fury Over Viral Video

The echoes of one of cricket's most talked-about controversies, the infamous 'slap-gate' incident from the inaugural IPL season in 2008, have once again reverberated across social media. This time, the spark was ignited by former IPL chief Lalit Modi, who recently shared a video of the incident on X (formerly Twitter) to mark the league's 16th anniversary.

What followed was a swift and fiery backlash from Bhuvaneshwari Kumari, the wife of cricketer Sreesanth, leading Modi to issue a rather bewildered response.

Modi, the visionary behind the Indian Premier League, expressed his surprise at Bhuvaneshwari's strong reaction. "I really don’t know why Sreesanth’s wife is angry with me.

I just said I hope @sreesanth36 and @harbhajan_singh are now friends. It’s been 16 years. Get over it. She needs to understand that I have nothing against her husband. I wish him well," Modi stated, seemingly genuinely perplexed by the outrage his nostalgic post had triggered.

The controversy stems from a moment in the 2008 IPL when Harbhajan Singh, then captain of the Mumbai Indians, was seen slapping Kings XI Punjab player Sreesanth after a match, leaving the latter in tears.

The incident became a defining, albeit unfortunate, moment of the league's early days. Harbhajan Singh later apologized for his actions, and the two cricketers reportedly mended their relationship.

However, for Bhuvaneshwari Kumari, the resurfacing of the video was anything but a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

She took to social media to lambast Modi, calling his actions "disgusting" and "childish." "It’s a disgrace to see Lalit Modi, a person who was part of the BCCI, doing this. He is just doing this for some attention. The incident happened 16 years ago. Harbhajan Singh apologized. Sreesanth moved on.

Now, why is he doing this? It’s traumatic for Sreesanth," she passionately wrote.

Bhuvaneshwari emphasized the emotional toll such a revival takes on her husband. She highlighted that Sreesanth has worked hard to overcome the past and rebuild his career and reputation. "Sreesanth has faced a lot because of this.

He was banned for life. He went through a lot. He has a family, kids. It’s not a joke," she added, underscoring the gravity of the situation from their perspective.

Modi, however, maintained that his intentions were pure. He insisted that the video was shared with no malicious intent, but merely as a recollection of IPL's significant moments, both good and bad, as part of its anniversary celebrations.

He also pointed out Harbhajan's public apology, suggesting that the matter should have been long settled.

The incident underscores the lingering sensitivity around past controversies, especially when they involve public figures and deeply personal emotional experiences. While Lalit Modi views the video as a piece of IPL history, Sreesanth's family perceives it as an unnecessary and hurtful dredging up of old wounds, reminding everyone that even after 16 years, some memories remain raw and unsettling.