‘It was all of us’: Usman Khawaja blasts Australia’s 2018 ball-tampering scandal

Former Australia batsman Usman Khawaja has made fresh revelations about the infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal, claiming ball-tampering discussions were more widespread within the team than Cricket Australia’s investigation revealed.In excerpts from his forthcoming autobiography, published by the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday, Khawaja claimed conversations about ball-tampering took place openly during Australia’s tour of South Africa in 2018. He claimed the players discussed different ways to roughen the ball, including using sandpaper, in what he described as “open, light-hearted discussions”.The former top-order batsman went on to suggest that the conversations were not limited to a specific group in the dressing room, insisting that players from different departments and support staff were aware of them.“It was all of us,” Khawaja said in the book, according to the newspaper.The revelation raised fresh questions about the outcome of Cricket Australia’s investigation into the scandal, which erupted during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town in March 2018.The controversy, widely known as ‘Sandpapergate’, triggered one of the biggest integrity crises in Australian cricket after players were caught using sandpaper to tamper with the ball. A Cricket Australia investigation at the time concluded that prior knowledge of the plan was limited to three players: Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.Khawaja, who featured in 88 Tests for Australia, was cleared of any wrongdoing during the investigation. He announced his retirement from international cricket in January.Cricket Australia is facing a 2018 investigationIn response to the latest claims, Cricket Australia has defended its investigation, saying its findings remain valid.“All relevant information submitted to CA to date has been duly considered and we are satisfied with the findings of our integrity process,” the governing body said in a statement on Saturday.He also emphasized that individuals always had the opportunity to provide additional information.“There has always been an opportunity to present any relevant information and it remains so,” it added.Following an investigation in 2018, Cricket Australia handed playing bans and other punishments to Smith, Warner and Bancroft. Head coach Darren Lehmann was cleared of direct involvement, but resigned shortly after the series.Cummins played down the possibility of further falloutAustralian captain Pat Cummins, who was part of the bowling attack in the infamous Cape Town Test, had earlier played down suggestions that Khawaja’s autobiography could reignite controversy or lead to further consequences when it was published.South Africa won the four-match Test series in 2018 by a margin of 3–1.Australia’s Test team returned to South Africa last month for the first time since the Sandpapergate controversy but suffered another series defeat, losing the three-match contest 2-1.