Harbhajan Singh Banned From IPL

NEW DELHI: The IPL has banned volatile off-spinner and Mumbai Indians' stand-in skipper, Harbhajan Singh, for 11 IPL matches after finding him guilty of physically assaulting fellow Indian cricketer and Team Mohali bowler Sreesanth after an IPL game on Friday evening. According to IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, Harbhajan has also been fined 100% of his match fee for his conduct on the field.

The ban implies that Harbhajan stands to lose as much as Rs 3 crore as he will only be paid for the two matches that he played in the T20 league. Sreesanth too was given a warning on the basis of his behaviour in previous matches. Harbhajan's attack, however, was found to have been "unprovoked".

There could be further trouble for "bad boys" Harbhajan and Sreesanth as BCCI too has launched a probe into the spat which will examine the backdrop to the assault.

Mumbai Indians coach Lalchand Rajput was also found guilty of "conduct flouting the spirit of the game". "It's a Level 2 offence. He was fined 50% of his match fee as well. In the video footage, Lalchand was standing right behind Harbhajan and he could have stopped the incident from happening. He didn't take any step to restrain him from behaving like that. Instead, he stood there and was found laughing in the tape," a top BCCI official told TOI.

The ugly incident between Harbhajan and Sreesanth occurred a few minutes after the Mumbai team lost to Team Mohali. Images of a profusely weeping Sreesanth were aired on TV after the fiasco. Footage made available to the match referee Farokh Engineer shows Harbhajan shaking hands with Team Mohali members after the match.

Said Modi: "Then, the video shows Harbhajan slapping Sreesanth instead of giving him a handshake. I would like to make it clear to all players that the cricket board is not going to spare anyone who crosses the limit." Modi added that Harbhajan had accepted he slapped the pacer under no provocation and the match referee states this in his report.

"As a penalty for the Level 4.2 offence committed by Harbhajan Singh, we hereby order that Singh be banned for the rest of the league matches of the first IPL event," he said while announcing Engineer's verdict here in a city hotel on Monday, after the IPL inquiry committee examined the footage of the incident and consulted representatives from both teams.

"Harbhajan Singh will also be fined 100% of his match fee that may have been paid or may hereafter be paid to him in respect of the remaining matches only. That does not take into account any of the two earlier matches (prior to Friday) that he may have played," Modi added.

Engineer, who conducted the hearing, said: "Harbhajan accepted his guilt. It can happen to any cricketer and I am glad that Harbhajan knows where he has gone wrong." The former Indian cricketer then announced: "Sreesanth has been warned to behave well on the field."

Later, while addressing the gathering, Harbhajan hugged and shook hands with the Kerala fast bowler.