Usman Khawaja sandpaper cheating allegations, Digi Mart USA News: Former Australian Test cricketer Usman Khawaja appeared on ABC’s 7.30 program with presenter Sarah Ferguson to discuss the ball tampering scandal in South Africa, which is commonly referred to as sandpaper gate. The interview followed comments from former teammate David Warner, who backed Khawaja’s account and said, “Lies will eventually get out.”
Khawaja said he would not speak on Warner’s behalf and described his own account, which he has set out in a book, as an attempt to tell his version of events in an open and safe environment. He said the chapter on the matter was 22 pages long and that he had worked to make it as balanced as possible.
Asked whether captain Pat Cummins and the bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon knew in advance about the use of sandpaper in the Cape Town match, Khawaja declined to answer directly. He said his aim was not to point fingers at individuals but to take accountability as a team, and that he did not want to name names.
Khawaja said he had been asked repeatedly whether Cummins had prior knowledge that sandpaper was being used to alter the surface of the ball, and again declined to answer. He said he had stood by the three players who were sanctioned and that he hoped others would speak honestly about the events.
Asked whether a broader investigation by Cricket Australia was needed, Khawaja said he was not calling for anything and was simply sharing his version of events. He said the scandal had been hard on his family and on himself, and that he still struggled with it.
He added that he did not believe he was the actual victim.
On the question of a team-wide ban, Khawaja said he did not believe the whole squad would have been banned had the team taken collective responsibility at the time. He said he felt the investigation was not thorough, noting he was never investigated himself, and said it felt rushed, though he stopped short of calling it a cover-up.
Khawaja also addressed questions about timing and his book. He said his manager and the publisher Penguin were unaware of the sandpaper material until about six months earlier, and that he could have chosen to leave it out.
He said he felt more comfortable speaking now because he no longer represents the team.
Khawaja said he felt he was not made captain after Steve Smith was stood down because of his race, but he said there was no concrete evidence of that and that he later came to believe the decision was not wrong, praising Tim Paine’s captaincy. He said stereotypes about his work ethic had followed him throughout his career.
Khawaja said he first felt part of the Australian team after the 2022 Ashes win, when Cummins called him back onto the field, and that the moment remains meaningful to him. He said he was unsure whether the book would damage his friendship with Cummins, and said he could not speak for Cummins.
