Agencies
New Delhi, May 14:
Off spinner Harbhajan Singh has been banned for 5 ODIs by the BCCI for slapping Indian teammate Sreesanth. The cricket board's three-man disciplinary committee comprising president Sharad Pawar, Shashank Manohar and Chirayu Amin, handed out the sentence to Harbhajan, who however, escaped any financial penalty.
Sharad Pawar said that going by the Justice Sudhir Nanavati report, Bhajji's offence attracted a maximum ban of 5 ODIs or 3 Test matches, and that the committee decided to impose the "harshest sentence" on him. Pawar also warned that any further breach of discipline by Bhajji would attract a life ban.
The ban implies that Harbhajan will be forced to sit out of India's tour to Bangladesh as well as two matches of the Asia Cup.
Harbhajan, who was earlier banned from 11 IPL matches by the IPL commission and received Rs 2.70 crore fine, was given a final hearing by the disciplinary committee, before the quantum of punishment was decided.
The BCCI-appointed Appeals Commissioner Sudhir Nanavati had earlier submitted his report to BCCI chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty yesterday, on the basis of which the disciplinary committee imposed the ban.
Ever since he was given an 11-match ban by the IPL committee, the temperamental bowler has been clearly contrite. He has admitted the gravity of his mistake more than once and also appealed for clemency. Nanavati too, in his report, did not recommend any punishment.
On April 25, moments after the Mohali team won their first match in the league, Mumbai Indians` skipper Harbhajan Singh slapped his IPL rival, Kings XI Punjab's fast bowler S Sreesanth, reducing the latter to tears.
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