Controversy surrounding the scandal that disrupted Australian cricket eight years ago has flared up again due to passages in Usman Khawaja’s fresh autobiography. The former opening batsman asserted that the entire national line-up was conscious of sandpaper being employed to modify the condition of the ball prior to their 2018 Test against South Africa in Cape Town. Speaking on Friday, current team leader Pat Cummins—who featured in that Newlands match—categorically dismissed suggestions that he was aware of the tactic. Following this rejection, David Warner accused the quick bowler of having “thrown Khawaja under the bus”.
Warner subsequently amplified his critique of Cricket Australia’s official probe into the Cape Town event, insisting that three key bowlers—Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon—were never questioned. Labeling the enterprise a “shoddy investigation”, the veteran player took to Instagram to question how governing executives could maintain their stance. Warner wrote: “As far as I am aware, CA [Cricket Australia] did not interview Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc or Nathan Lyon in their 2018 investigation,” before directly questioning the institutional findings.
“If that’s correct, then how can CA push the idea that their bowlers didn’t know? “It looks like they had decided who they wanted to blame from the very beginning, ran a shoddy to serve the purpose and now they want to maintain the false narrative that the bowlers had no idea. “That stinks of a cover-up.” This public broadside reinforces statements Warner issued earlier in the week on Monday, during which he backed Khawaja and labeled the historical enquiry “rushed and botched”. Sky Sports News have contacted Cricket Australia for comment regarding these claims.
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