Harbhajan Singh Slaps Sreesanth in IPL 2008

After the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab on 25 April 2008, Harbhajan Singh was caught on camera slapping fellow Indian cricketer S. Sreesanth. The incident occurred on the field after the match, and the footage of a tearful Sreesanth became one of the most shared images of the inaugural IPL season.

The BCCI took swift action, banning Harbhajan for the remainder of the IPL season. Sreesanth's emotional reaction, with visible tears on his face, generated enormous public sympathy and media coverage. The incident highlighted the intensity of IPL competition and how it could escalate tensions between teammates in the Indian national team.

Harbhajan's ban was a significant punishment given that it was the first season of the IPL and the league was trying to establish its credibility. Mumbai Indians' campaign was also affected by the loss of one of their senior players. Harbhajan later apologized for the incident, and the matter was eventually resolved between the two players.

While not a corruption incident per se, the slapping episode was a significant breach of conduct that brought the IPL into disrepute during its debut season. It established early on that disciplinary issues would be a recurring theme in the IPL, and that the league's high-pressure environment could bring out the worst in players.