Usman Khawaja Unveils Shocking Revelations About Sandpaper Scandal in Upcoming Autobiography

Khawaja's Revelations on the Sandpaper Incident

New Delhi: Usman Khawaja, the former Australian cricketer, has made startling allegations, claiming that the entire Australian cricket team was aware of the notorious sandpaper incident during the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa.

In his forthcoming autobiography titled 'Sabr', set to be released on Tuesday, Khawaja has disclosed that the team collectively knew about the sandpaper being used on the ball during that match, and even during the preceding Test.

"It was all of us. Not just the batters or bowlers, but everyone involved," Khawaja stated, as reported by a leading media outlet. "Ideally, I wouldn’t want to be the one revealing this. I assumed the truth would have surfaced after eight years."

Previously, the public narrative suggested that only captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were implicated, with Bancroft applying the sandpaper to the ball. Smith and Warner faced one-year bans from all forms of cricket, while Bancroft received a nine-month suspension.

Additionally, Smith was barred from captaincy for two years, and Warner received a lifetime leadership ban, which was lifted in 2024.

"I thought someone like Davey would have come forward, or that others would have spoken up. I never expected it to come to this. From the beginning, I believed we should take responsibility as a team," Khawaja added.

He noted that Smith, Bancroft, and Warner have faced significant backlash since the incident, which has left lasting impacts on their careers. "It’s been tough for Davey, who has endured relentless criticism over the years. It takes a strong person to remain silent through all of this," he remarked.

"Bancroft played some Test cricket after the scandal but never returned to the same level, despite his talent. It’s a shadow that looms over him. As for Steve, he’s incredibly talented and has bounced back, but he hasn’t forgotten the ordeal of that year," Khawaja continued.

Khawaja mentioned that he was beside Bancroft during the entire Test match and was never questioned by Cricket Australia regarding the incident.

"I was right next to Cam during that match, yet I was never interviewed. I believe they avoided questioning me because they knew I wanted to take collective responsibility and would have told the truth if asked," he explained.

"I waited for a call that never came, and then the penalties were handed down, which shocked me."

In 2021, Bancroft indicated that it was obvious the bowlers were aware of the situation, prompting Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon to issue a joint statement denying any knowledge.

Khawaja also asserted that the South African team was more adept at manipulating the ball and that the Australians were merely trying to keep pace. He hinted at revealing more details in his book. Meanwhile, former South African captain Faf du Plessis has repeatedly claimed that his team also sought to achieve reverse swing through unconventional means, having faced sanctions for ball tampering on two occasions.