India: Harbhajan banned for five ODIs

India: Harbhajan banned for five ODIs
Harbhajan Singh

It just gets worse for Harbhajan Singh as S. Sreesanth (left) looks on. (Action Images / Amit Dave)

Wednesday May 14, 2008
MUMBAI - Harbhajan Singh has been banned for five one-day internationals by the Board of Control for Cricket in India following his altercation with Sreesanth.

The 27-year-old off-spinner has already been banned from competing in the rest of the Indian Premier League campaign after the incident with his international team-mate, which occurred after the Mumbai Indians' defeat to the Kings XI Punjab last month.

The BCCI launched a separate inquiry led by commissioner Sudhir Nanavati, whose findings prompted chairman Sharad Pawar to confirm the additional punishment.

Pawar announced in Mumbai: "The BCCI have met today. Harbhajan Singh was also invited for the meeting. We gave him the opportunity to speak. The copy of the report of Justice Nanavati, who filed a report on our behalf, was also shown to him.

"He pleaded guilty to all charges and accepted it.

"The committee thus came to the conclusion under the BCCI code of conduct, item number 3.251, the maximum punishment for this offence was a ban for five ODIs or three Tests. So we decided to ban him for five ODIs."

Pawar also revealed Harbhajan had been warned as to his future conduct and told any further misdemeanours could end his career.

"The BCCI have also told him and any further misconduct on his part would invite a life ban," added Pawar, who headed the three-member disciplinary panel.

Harbhajan will now miss the tri-series in Bangladesh - also involving Pakistan - and the subsequent two matches in the Asia Cup.

The panel also issued a stern warning to Sreesanth.

The incident is the latest in a long line of recent controversies surrounding Harbhajan.

The off-spinner was found guilty - and subsequently cleared on appeal - of making a racist comment to Andrew Symonds during the second Test between Australia and India earlier this year.

He had been accused of racially abusing Symonds by International Cricket Council referee Mike Procter after allegedly directing a "monkey" insult at the mixed-race all-rounder during the second Test of the four-match series at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

His three-Test ban was overturned after he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of abusive language. He was instead fined 50% of his match fee.

On his return to India, Harbhajan launched a verbal attack in the national press towards Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist.

He later made an attempt to make peace with the Australian pair, saying: "I am more than happy to be friends with everyone. What happens on the field should be left on the field."