Former Australia opening batsman Usman Khawaja has alleged in his new autobiography, Sabr, that every member of the team’s dressing room was aware of the ball-tampering scheme during the March 2018 Test match against South Africa in Cape Town. Writing ahead of the book’s release, Khawaja declared that the plot involved the entire touring party rather than just a select few, contradicting Cricket Australia’s official findings from eight years ago.
Disclosures in Sabr
Khawaja states in the book that discussions regarding altering the condition of the ball actually began during the second Test of that 2018 series at Port Elizabeth, now known as Gqeberha. According to his account, open conversations in the dressing room at St George’s Park led to the discovery of sandpaper as an effective agent to generate reverse swing. At this point Smith essentially threw his hands in the air and said he didn’t want to know,
Khawaja writes, referring to then-captain Steve Smith.
The controversy escalated dramatically during the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town when television cameras captured opener Cameron Bancroft attempting to conceal a piece of sandpaper down his trousers after using it on the ball. Following a swift investigation by Cricket Australia, severe sanctions were handed down in 2018. Smith and vice-captain David Warner, identified as the architect of the plot, received 12-month suspensions, while Bancroft was banned for nine months and head coach Darren Lehmann tearfully resigned.
Did You Know? Usman Khawaja scored 6,229 runs across 88 Test matches for Australia between 2011 and his retirement in January 2026, notching 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries.
Diverging Accounts on Bowler Awareness
While Cricket Australia maintained that only Smith, Warner, and Bancroft had prior knowledge of the scheme, Khawaja’s account asserts collective awareness. It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us,
Khawaja told Nine newspapers. He expressed surprise that he was never interviewed by investigators despite sitting next to Bancroft in the Cape Town dressing room.
The status of the bowling attack’s awareness has remained a point of contention for years. In 2021, bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon issued a joint statement insisting they had no prior knowledge of the ball-tampering until seeing the stadium screen footage at Newlands. That statement followed an interview where Bancroft suggested it was self-explanatory whether the bowling attack knew. Darren Lehmann recently told ABC Sport’s Summer Grandstand that he did not believe everyone knew to that extent, noting that ball-tampering had historically been handled on an individual case-by-case basis.
Reactions and Next Steps on the Domestic Circuit
Current Test captain Pat Cummins confirmed he spoke with Khawaja prior to publication and gave him his blessing to share his story, noting that the team has moved on. Meanwhile, Cricket Australia issued a statement affirming that its integrity process properly considered all relevant information presented at the time and that it remains comfortable with those original findings.
As the book enters circulation, players tied to the historical events prepare for upcoming domestic fixtures. David Warner is currently playing cricket in Nepal, while other senior players rotate through international series. David Warner’s domestic teammate is expected to return in time to play for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield on November 22 ahead of the New Zealand series.
Khawaja links sandpaper plot origins to Port Elizabeth
Who was sanctioned by Cricket Australia after the 2018 Cape Town Test?
Only captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft received formal bans following the investigation. Smith and Warner were suspended for 12 months, while Bancroft served a nine-month suspension.
What did Usman Khawaja claim about the origin of the sandpaper plot?
Khawaja wrote in his book that discussions regarding ball tampering and the use of sandpaper first took place during the second Test of the 2018 series at Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha.
How did the bowling group respond to previous allegations about the scandal?
In 2021, bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon issued a joint statement insisting they had no prior knowledge of the ball-tampering scheme until footage appeared on the big screen at Newlands.
How might these fresh revelations from a retired teammate alter public perception of Australia’s 2018 dressing room culture?