Harbhajan Singh [Images], issued a show cause notice by the Cricket Board for allegedly slapping rival paceman S Sreesanth [Images] of King's XI Punjab on Friday night at Mohali, is free to play in Sunday's IPL tie for Mumbai Indians against Deccan Chargers.

• Image: Sreesanth cries after being slapped

"We have issued a show cause notice to Harbhajan for which he has been given time till Monday evening to reply. He can play in the match," BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah told PTI.

• BCCI issues notice to Harbhajan

The match between Mumbai Indians, which has been captained by Harbhajan due to the groin injury to Sachin Tendulkar [Images], and Hyderabad's Deccan Chargers is to be held at the D Y Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

"The reply from Harbhajan will hopefully make things clearer," he pointed out.

The shocking incident took place following a verbal altercation between the two players after the Punjab team defeated the Mumbai franchise outfit owned by Reliance Industries [Get Quote].

• Sreesanth not to file complaint against Harbhajan

Sreesanth, also a temperamental player like Harbhajan who represents Kerala [Images] in Ranji Trophy, was seen shedding tears at the ground after the alleged slapping incident.

Harbhajan was recently embroiled in a controversy Down Under after he was found guilty of racially abusing Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds [Images], who represents the Hyderabad team in the IPL, in the Sydney Test and was banned for two Tests by match referee Mike Procter.

• Harbhajan, Sreesanth downplay row between them

The punishment was toned down and he was found guilty only of general abuse following an appeal to the International Cricket Council which appointed a retired New Zealand [Images] judge to hear the player's appeal.

Harbhajan got away with a monetary penalty after the racist slur against his name was removed and the judge later said the ICC [Images] did not make him aware of the player's previous brushes with the cricket authorities for breaching its code of conduct on quite a few occasions in the past.