Khawaja’s latest: Before Cape Town, ball tampering took place at Port Elizabeth
· Sports · Indian Express
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja alleges in his autobiography, Sabr, that sandpaper was used on the ball during the second Test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth, preceding the 2018 Cape Town scandal. Khawaja recalls Cameron Bancroft working on the ball during an interval before Australia secured four wickets for 28 runs in the subsequent session. He describes the resulting ball movement as excessively sharp, noting that it made him think even he could achieve reverse swing. The claims have sparked varied responses from current and former players, with fast bowler Mitchell Starc standing by the 2021 bowling group statement that they were unaware of foreign substances. Meanwhile, former captain Michael Clarke called for a reopening of the investigation to uncover the full truth.
Why it matters
The allegations reopen scrutiny into Australian cricket's most damaging cheating scandal, raising fresh questions about team-wide awareness and transparency among senior players and management.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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