Khawaja says entire Australia squad was aware of sandpaper ball-tampering scheme
Former Australian opener Usman Khawaja claimed the whole touring party knew about the 2018 sandpaper ball-tampering plot, while Cricket Australia maintained its original findings that only three players were sanctioned.
Usman Khawaja told Nine newspapers that every member of the Australia touring party was aware of the sandpaper ball-tampering plan used in the 2018 Test series against South Africa, adding that the same method was employed during the second Test in Port Elizabeth. Khawaja made the comments ahead of the release of his autobiography, which includes a chapter on the incident.
He said, “It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us,” and explained that he had expected the truth to emerge earlier, but felt compelled to speak now.
Khawaja asserted that Cameron Bancroft first volunteered to use sandpaper in Port Elizabeth and that the scheme was discussed in the dressing room, although he claimed Steve Smith appeared to distance himself from the talks.
Former coach Darren Lehmann, who led the team at the time, said on ABC Sport’s Grandstand that he did not believe every squad member knew about the plot, stating, “I don’t think everyone would have known… I can’t speak for them, I can only know what I know.”
Cricket Australia reiterated that its investigation found only Bancroft, David Warner and Steve Smith had prior knowledge, and a spokesperson said the board remains “comfortable with the findings of our integrity process.”
In 2021, Bancroft described the issue as “self-explanatory” regarding bowlers’ knowledge, prompting a joint statement from Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon that they were unaware of any foreign substance until images were shown at Newlands. Cummins later said the matter had been fully addressed and the team had moved on.