Usman Khawaja makes startling revelations about 'Sandpaper Gate'; says "All of us were involved"
Usman Khawaja also revealed that ball-tampering discussions started in the second Test.
Australia recently returned from their Test tour of South Africa, where they lost the three-match series 2-1. It was their first Test tour of the country since the 2018 ball-tampering controversy that created a major storm in Australian cricket.
The incident took place during the third Test in Cape Town and resulted in bans for Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. While the three players faced the consequences, questions about how much the rest of the team knew continued over the years.
Former Australian batter Usman Khawaja has now shared his account of what happened during that tour. Ahead of the release of his autobiography, Sabr, he has claimed that knowledge of the ball-tampering discussions was not limited to the three players who were punished.
In an excerpt from his book published by the Sydney Morning Herald, Khawaja said that discussions about changing the condition of the ball involved the entire Australian team.
“It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us,” Khawaja said.
Usman Khawaja says ball-tampering talks started in Port Elizabeth
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Usman Khawaja revealed that discussions about using sandpaper on the ball had started during the second Test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth, now known as Gqeberha.
The controversy became public during the next Test in Cape Town in March 2018, when Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper on the ball. Cricket Australia later handed Steve Smith and Warner 12-month bans, while Bancroft received a nine-month suspension.
Usman Khawaja said he had wanted the entire team to accept responsibility instead of leaving three players to face the punishment alone.
“Take this as a team. We did this as a team. We knew what was going on, and we have to take it as a team,” he recalled telling his teammates.
He also questioned why Cricket Australia did not interview him during their investigation, despite playing in the Cape Town Test.
“I was sitting next to Cam Bancroft that whole Test match, and I didn’t get interviewed,” Khawaja said.
Cricket Australia has maintained their position on the 2018 investigation, saying that all the information presented to it was properly considered and that it remained comfortable with their findings.
Khawaja also defended Smith, Warner and Bancroft, saying that they had faced criticism for several years.
“I’ve seen Davey over the last eight years just get nailed bad over and over again,” he said.
Who were punished for the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal?
Steve Smith and David Warner received 12-month bans, while Cameron Bancroft was handed a nine-month suspension.
When did Australia’s ball-tampering scandal take place?
The incident took place during the third Test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town in March 2018.
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