Sandpapergate: Usman Khawaja Claims Entire Australia Team Knew of Ball-Tampering Plot Against South Africa

Usman Khawaja Details Dressing Room Origins of Australia’s Sandpaper Scandal

Former Australian Test batter Usman Khawaja has provided fresh insight into the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, revealing that conversations about altering the condition of the cricket ball initially took place during the second Test against South Africa. According to Khawaja, who scored 6,229 runs in 88 Tests, the discussions occurred openly inside the team dressing room at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth—now known as Gqeberha—prior to the infamous third Test in Cape Town.

Khawaja noted that those dressing room talks culminated in what he termed the discovery of sandpaper as an effective agent following open discussions among squad members. Describing the reaction of then-captain Steve Smith during these tactical conversations, Khawaja detailed that the leadership declined to intervene directly. At this point Smith essentially threw his hands in the air and said he didn’t want to know, Khawaja wrote.

Investigation Oversights and Unresolved Questions

The clandestine plot unraveled during the subsequent third Test at Newlands, where television cameras caught Cameron Bancroft actively using sandpaper on the ball in an attempt to generate reverse swing. In the aftermath, Cricket Australia issued severe sanctions against batters Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft. However, Khawaja expressed genuine disbelief that he was bypassed entirely by the governing body’s official inquiry. Khawaja was also shocked not to be asked to provide any evidence during Cricket Australia’s investigation.

Explaining his decision to speak publicly about the controversy years later, Khawaja reflected on the enduring silence surrounding the details of the event. In an ideal world, I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to be the one who comes out and talks about the truth, he said. The issue is that I genuinely thought after eight years the truth would have been out by now.

The Bowlers’ Stance Amid Ongoing Scrutiny

While sanctions were exclusively applied to top-order batters Smith, Warner, and Bancroft, widespread debate has persisted over how the primary bowling unit remained unaware of the illicit tactics. Over the years, observers noted there was never an explanation of how bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon did not notice a change in the state of the ball. The issue reignited during a 2021 interview with the Guardian, in which Bancroft was asked if the bowlers knew and replied: It’s pretty probably self-explanatory.

In response to Bancroft’s remarks, Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, and Lyon issued a joint statement to firmly deny any prior knowledge or involvement. We feel compelled to put the key facts on the record again, the statement read. We did not know a foreign substance was taken on to the field to alter the condition of the ball until we saw the images on the big screen at Newlands.

Defending their integrity against ongoing speculation, the four bowlers maintained that match officials found no physical evidence of tampering during play. And to those who, despite the absence of evidence, insist that ‘we must have known’ about the use of a foreign substance simply because we are bowlers, we say this: The umpires during that Test match, Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth, both very respected and experienced umpires, inspected the ball after the images surfaced on the TV coverage and did not change it because there was no sign of damage, the quartet stated. They concluded: We respectfully request an end to the rumour-mongering and innuendo. It has gone on too long and it is time to move on.

Why This Matters

The 2018 Newlands ball-tampering incident remains one of the most defining integrity crises in modern international cricket, triggering sweeping cultural reviews, administrative overhauls, and lengthy player bans across Australian sport. Usman Khawaja’s revelations challenge the long-standing timeline of events by indicating that the plan was premeditated earlier in the series rather than being an isolated incident in Cape Town. Furthermore, his exclusion from the governing body’s formal inquiry raises fresh questions about the thoroughness and transparency of Cricket Australia’s original investigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did discussions about using sandpaper begin?

According to Usman Khawaja, open discussions about altering the ball and identifying sandpaper as an effective tool began in the dressing room during the second Test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth, one match prior to the Cape Town incident.

What was Steve Smith’s reported reaction to the plan?

Usman Khawaja wrote that when the methods were discussed, Steve Smith essentially threw his hands in the air and said he didn’t want to know, distancing himself from the execution of the idea.

Did Australian bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon know about the sandpaper?

The four frontline bowlers have firmly denied any awareness of the scheme, previously releasing a joint statement confirming they did not know a foreign substance was brought onto the pitch until footage was broadcast on the stadium screen at Newlands.