David Warner backs Usman Khawaja on 2018 ball-tampering
Former Australia vice-captain David Warner strongly backs Usman Khawaja's claims that the entire team knew about the 2018 sandpaper scandal.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- David Warner has thrown his full support behind Usman Khawaja's account of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
- Khawaja stated that the entire Australian team knew about the sandpaper use, contradicting the bowlers' denials.
- Warner criticized past investigation processes on Instagram, calling them rushed and botched.
- Cricket Australia has stated it will not re-open the integrity investigation into the Newlands incident.
Former Australia Test vice-captain David Warner has voiced his total backing for former teammate Usman Khawaja, stating that his recounting of the infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa is completely accurate.
The incident during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town revealed that Australia used sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball. The scandal resulted in one-year bans for Warner and captain Steve Smith, alongside a nine-month suspension for batter Cameron Bancroft. However, tensions resurfaced after Khawaja stated last week that the entire team was aware of the plan, despite continuous denials from the bowling attack.
Warner, who retired from international cricket in 2024, released a video statement via Instagram stating that this was Usman's story and that he had documented every detail from that day. He also highlighted that the initial interview process was rushed and botched, noting that Khawaja sat next to Bancroft during the tour yet was never formally interviewed.
The 2018 ball-tampering controversy, commonly referred to as Sandpapergate, remains one of the darkest chapters in Australian cricket history. Khawaja and Warner's recent remarks and criticisms regarding the thoroughness of the initial investigation underscore lingering internal tensions and unresolved questions within the sport, even as several players from that era remain key fixtures in the national squad.
While batters Smith, Warner, and Bancroft faced heavy disciplinary action, no official explanation was ever provided regarding how bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon failed to notice the altered state of the ball. The four bowlers released a joint statement in 2021 maintaining they had no knowledge of foreign substances being brought onto the field.
"There's been a lot of statements and inaccuracies over the last eight years that were out in the media by people. And there was a lot of people who stayed silent."
David Warner
Warner, 40, who amassed 8,786 runs across 112 Tests, explained that he delayed his public response to Khawaja's comments in order to properly discuss and explain the sensitive incident to his young daughters.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia has firmly stated that it has no intention of re-opening the investigation into the events at Newlands. The governing body noted that ample opportunity had been provided for relevant information to be submitted, and they remain completely comfortable with the findings yielded by their original integrity process.
Source: BBC Sport
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