Former Australia opener David Warner has thrown his weight behind Usman Khawaja amid the renewed controversy surrounding the 2018 Sandpaper Gate scandal, insisting that his former teammate’s revelations are accurate and that the truth about one of Australian cricket’s darkest episodes needed to come out.Warner, who was among the three players punished by Cricket Australia (CA) following the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, expressed his full support for Khawaja in a video posted on Instagram. He also questioned the credibility of the investigation conducted after the incident, pointing out that Khawaja, despite being present alongside Cameron Bancroft, was never interviewed.“It’s been eight years since I’ve spoken on this topic. And Uzzie (Usman Khawaja), I throw my full support behind you. I thank you for what you’ve done. It’s 100% accurate what you’ve said. Now everyone knows the truth. It’s out there. People wanted to know it; you’ve come out and said it, and now people are saying, ‘Why eight years on?’ Talking about selling a book—this is Usman’s story. This is what Usman believes,” Warner said.His intervention comes after excerpts from Khawaja’s forthcoming autobiography, Sabr, reignited debate over the events of the 2018 Test series against South Africa. Khawaja has claimed that knowledge of the ball-tampering operation extended beyond the three players who were formally punished, and that the responsibility should have been accepted collectively by the team.
Warner questions investigation, says Khawaja was not interviewed
Warner’s strongest criticism was directed at the process followed by CA after the Cape Town Test, where Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball.According to Warner, the investigation was rushed and incomplete, particularly because Khawaja, who was sitting next to Bancroft, was not questioned.“Now, this whole interview process was rushed and botched. Uzzie was sitting next to Cameron Bancroft; Uzzie was not interviewed. How is that a thorough investigation? It baffles me. We’re not here to point fingers, and we’re not opening our wounds. It’s about accountability, transparency, ensuring that the truth is properly examined. And perhaps it’s time people stop scrutinising the person asking for accountability and start asking those responsible for the investigation to provide it,” Warner said.Warner also spoke about the personal toll the scandal had taken on his family. He revealed that he had recently been forced to explain the events to his daughters, particularly his 12-year-old Ivy, who wanted to understand the images of the family being surrounded by cameras and the emotional scenes that followed the scandal.“Now, there were a lot of statements and inaccuracies over the last eight years that were out in the media by people, and there were a lot of people who stayed silent. The last couple of days, I’ve had to be—I’ve been talking to my daughters, and that’s why it’s taken me a couple of days to get this out, because I’ve had to tell them exactly what had happened. Especially my 12-year-old, Ivy, wanting to know why we were holding her, why there were so many cameras, why we were crying on TV,” he said.Describing the conversation as difficult, Warner said he had emphasised the importance of telling the truth.“That was a hard thing to do. But one thing I did say is, ‘Girls, tell the truth, because lies will eventually get out.’ It was a very tough time. This is for everyone in Australia. It’s been—it’s been the question that everyone’s been asking. Uzzie, you’ve said it how it is. It’s 100% accurate,” he added.“It’s been a tough time for my family, Steve and Cameron no doubt, but this is what needed to come out. I fully support that, Uzzie,” Warner concluded.
What Khawaja said about Sandpaper Gate
The controversy resurfaced after excerpts from Khawaja’s autobiography, reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, claimed that the ball-tampering episode was not limited to the Cape Town Test and that the team had also used sandpaper during the preceding Test in Port Elizabeth.Khawaja’s account challenged the long-standing position that only Warner, then captain Steve Smith and Bancroft had prior knowledge of the plan. In an interview ahead of the book’s release, he said: “It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us.”He also recalled pushing for collective responsibility in the dressing room after the Cape Town incident, arguing that the team should stand together rather than leave three players to carry the consequences.Khawaja’s account further revealed a disagreement over that proposal. He claimed two teammates opposed his suggestion that the entire group accept responsibility.“This was the most disappointing thing for me. I knew who those two guys were, and it was ludicrous; out of everyone, it was them. It showed me their true colours, though. When the going got tough, all they cared about was themselves. But I was not going to stop fighting this cause,” Khawaja wrote.Former Australia coach Darren Lehmann rejected aspects of Khawaja’s claims, while the controversy also drew criticism from former England captain Michael Vaughan. The Australian bowling quartet of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon had previously denied knowing about the ball-tampering plan before Bancroft was shown on the stadium screen.
Khawaja defends his remarks: ‘I haven’t thrown anyone under the bus’
With the revelations triggering a backlash, Khawaja took to social media to clarify what he meant by saying the entire team was responsible. He insisted that his reference to “all of us” was about collective accountability and not an attempt to accuse individual teammates.“Alright, it’s time to clear up some facts because the media has taken this to the moon, as expected.“I stayed quiet yesterday, but number one, if you read my article, you would have seen when I mentioned it was all of us that’s implying that, whether we like it or not, we are all responsible for what happened. Together, as a team, we need to take that collectively. That is all,” he said.However, Khawaja did not withdraw his assertion that the wider group knew about the episode.“But now that everyone’s talking, am I going to deny that everyone knew? Nah. I won’t deny that either.“But I never speak on behalf of anyone else in my book. Contrary to all the headlines the clickbait media would have you think. Don’t get caught up in this s***.”He also rejected suggestions that he had waited eight years to reveal the details simply to generate publicity for his autobiography. Khawaja said he had deliberately held back the account until the Australian team had returned from South Africa and had even spoken to Cummins before deciding when to make it public.“What I say now isn’t a reflection of them anymore, and now my words don’t influence the team at all. I speak for myself. But even so, I refused to publish any of this while the boys were still in South Africa. That’s why I called Pat (Cummins).“Why would someone who really wants to increase the sale of his book refuse the greatest marketing opportunity he has? I haven’t thrown anyone under the bus… those three guys [Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft] who took the blame for all of us, they’re the victims,” he said.Under CA’s findings at the time, Smith and Warner received 12-month bans from international and domestic cricket, while Bancroft was suspended for nine months.
