Usman Khawaja Reopens Sandpapergate Debate In New Autobiography
· Sports · Sportstar, India Today
Former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has claimed in his upcoming autobiography that discussions about ball-tampering during the 2018 tour of South Africa were widespread across the entire team. In book extracts published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Khawaja stated that open and lighthearted discussions regarding methods to scuff the ball, including using sandpaper, involved more players than official findings indicated. Cricket Australia defended its original 2018 investigation, which concluded that prior knowledge was confined strictly to captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and batsman Cameron Bancroft. Khawaja, who played 88 Tests for Australia, was cleared of wrongdoing during the initial integrity probe and announced his retirement in January. Australian captain Pat Cummins dismissed suggestions that the book publication would trigger further fallout for the current team.
Why it matters
The revelations revive scrutiny over one of cricket's most damaging integrity scandals, challenging Cricket Australia's official findings regarding institutional culpability during the 2018 Cape Town Test.
Read the original report — Sportstar
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