← Azimuth Daily
Capturing data…
Capturing data…
MON, 9 NOV · 75 ITEMS
AAP, Belfast Telegraph, 7NEWS + 9 more · Australia
16 outletsUsman Khawaja, a former Australian Test batsman, has claimed in his new autobiography that every player and staff member on the 2018 Australian tour of South Africa knew about the use of sandpaper to tamper with the ball during the Cape Town Test—the infamous '' scandal. This directly contradicts the official narrative that only three players (Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft) were involved, and has reignited debate over the extent of the cover-up and Cricket Australia's handling of the affair.
The claim originates from Khawaja's own autobiography, a primary source, and is being reported by reputable outlets such as the Sydney Morning Herald, ABC News, and The Athletic, which have likely reviewed the book or interviewed Khawaja. The reporting is close to the source, but the claim remains Khawaja's personal assertion; it has not been independently corroborated by other team members or official documents, and Cricket Australia has responded by disputing the account.
Genuinely new: the claims were published in Khawaja's autobiography and reported by media on 6–8 November 2026, making this a fresh development in an eight-year-old scandal.
We covered the opening of this story on 2026-11-08, reporting that Khawaja claimed the entire Australian team knew about the sandpaper use in the 2018 tour.