Usman Khawaja ball-tampering claims and David Warner support, Digi Mart USA News: Former Australia opener David Warner says Usman Khawaja is “100% accurate” in his recounting of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, in which Australia were found to have used sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.
Warner, who was Test vice-captain at the time, and captain Steve Smith were banned for a year, while fellow batter Cameron Bancroft received a nine-month ban. Khawaja said last week that the entire Australia team knew about the use of sandpaper, despite consistent denials from the bowlers that they had knowledge of the plan.
In a video statement posted on Instagram, Warner, who retired from international cricket in 2024, said: “It’s been eight years since I spoke on this topic. And Ussie, I throw my full support behind you.
I thank you for what you’ve done. It’s 100% accurate what you’ve said.
Now everyone knows the truth.”
Khawaja has said he was shocked not to be asked to provide evidence during Cricket Australia’s investigation. “In an ideal world, I don’t want to do this.
I don’t want to be the one who comes out and talks about the truth,” he wrote. “The issue is that I genuinely thought after eight years the truth would have been out by now.”
Warner responded that the interview process was “rushed and botched,” noting that Khawaja was sitting next to Bancroft but was not interviewed. “How is that a thorough investigation?
It baffles me,” he said. “We’re not here to point fingers and we’re not opening old wounds.
It’s about accountability, transparency, ensuring that the truth is properly examined.”
Warner added: “Perhaps it’s time people stop scrutinising the person asking for accountability and start asking those responsible for the investigation to provide it.” He also said there had been many inaccurate statements over the past eight years and that many people had stayed silent.
Smith, Warner and Bancroft, all batters, were punished, but no explanation has been given for how bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon did not notice a change in the state of the ball. Cummins has been Test captain since 2021, and all four remain fixtures in the Australia red-ball side.
In a 2021 joint statement, the quartet said they “did not know a foreign substance was taken on to the field.”
Warner, who scored 8,786 runs in 112 Tests, said he delayed his response so he could explain the incident to his daughters. “I had to tell them exactly what had happened,” he said, adding that he told them: “Girls, tell the truth, because lies will eventually get out.”
Cricket Australia has not said it will reopen its investigation into the events at Newlands in 2018. In a statement issued after Khawaja’s allegations were published, the board said all relevant information presented to it to date had been properly considered and that it “remain[s] comfortable with the findings of our integrity process.”
Australia play England in three one-day internationals and five T20s starting Friday, and begin a four-Test series at home to New Zealand on 9 December. Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped for the Tests; chair of selectors George Bailey said Labuschagne will not be considered for the first Test but may be considered for the New Zealand series.
