David Warner has thrown his full support behind Usman Khawaja’s explosive account of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, claiming Cricket Australia’s investigation failed to uncover the full story.
Nearly eight years after Australian cricket was rocked by the sandpaper scandal in South Africa, the controversy is back in the spotlight.
This time, former Australian opener David Warner has publicly backed Usman Khawaja, whose upcoming autobiography Sabr raises fresh questions about what happened behind the scenes and how Cricket Australia handled the fallout.
Warner, who was handed a 12-month suspension following the infamous Cape Town Test, has described Khawaja’s version of events as accurate and called for greater accountability from those responsible for the original investigation.
Warner Breaks His Silence
Speaking in an Instagram video from Nepal, where he is competing in the Nepal Premier League, Warner addressed the controversy after details from Khawaja’s book began making headlines.
He made it clear that he stands firmly behind his former teammate.
“It’s 100% accurate what you’ve said,” Warner stated, thanking Khawaja for speaking publicly about events that have followed Australian cricket for almost a decade.
Warner also rejected suggestions that Khawaja was revisiting the scandal simply to promote his autobiography.
According to Warner, Khawaja had documented events as they unfolded, keeping a personal record of what happened during that turbulent period.
For Warner, the latest revelations are not about reopening old rivalries or targeting individual players. He believes they raise serious questions about whether the investigation established the full extent of what occurred.
Khawaja Raises Fresh Questions About Sandpapergate
In his autobiography Sabr, scheduled for publication on Tuesday, November 10, Khawaja challenges several aspects of the accepted account of the 2018 scandal.
One of his most significant allegations is that sandpaper had been used to alter the condition of the ball during the preceding Test in Gqeberha, then known as Port Elizabeth, before the incident that was exposed in Cape Town.
He also suggests that knowledge of the ball-tampering plans extended beyond the three players who were eventually punished.
Khawaja maintains that he repeatedly encouraged the Australian team to accept collective responsibility rather than allowing a small group of players to carry the entire blame.
Perhaps most strikingly, he claims Cricket Australia never interviewed him during its investigation, despite his knowledge of the events.
Those allegations have renewed debate about whether the original inquiry was sufficiently thorough.
Warner Calls the Investigation Flawed
Warner was particularly critical of the way Cricket Australia conducted its investigation following the Cape Town Test.
He questioned how investigators could reach comprehensive conclusions without speaking to Khawaja, who was part of the Australian squad and, according to Warner, had been sitting beside Cameron Bancroft.
Warner described the process as rushed and poorly handled.
He argued that the focus should now shift away from questioning Khawaja’s motives and towards examining whether those responsible for the investigation carried out their duties properly.
The former opener wants greater transparency and accountability, insisting that the public deserves a clearer understanding of what happened.
His comments represent one of his strongest public interventions on the scandal since his suspension in 2018.
The Scandal That Shook Australian Cricket
The controversy dates back to Australia’s third Test against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town, in March 2018.
Television cameras caught Cameron Bancroft attempting to alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper, triggering one of the biggest crises in Australian cricket history.
The fallout was immediate.
Then-captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner were each suspended from international and domestic cricket for 12 months, while Bancroft received a nine-month ban.
Warner was also handed a lifetime leadership ban, which was eventually overturned in 2024.
The scandal damaged the reputation of Australian cricket and left lasting consequences for the players involved.
Although all three eventually returned to professional cricket, questions about who knew what and when have continued to surface.
Khawaja’s new account has brought those unresolved questions back into public discussion.
Cricket Australia Stands by Its Findings
Despite the renewed criticism, Cricket Australia has defended the integrity of its original investigation.
In a statement issued over the weekend, the governing body acknowledged the continuing speculation surrounding the 2018 incident but maintained that all relevant information submitted to it had been appropriately considered.
Cricket Australia said it remained satisfied with the findings of its integrity process.
The organisation also stressed that anyone with additional information could still bring it forward for consideration.
Its position leaves a clear disagreement between the governing body and the accounts now being presented by Khawaja and Warner.
While Warner believes the investigation was incomplete, Cricket Australia has given no indication that it intends to overturn its original conclusions.
Warner Reveals the Personal Toll
Beyond the questions surrounding the investigation, Warner also spoke about the impact the scandal has had on his family.
He explained that he had taken several days to respond to Khawaja’s revelations because he first wanted to discuss the matter with his children.
The former Australian opener said explaining the images and events from 2018 to his daughters had been particularly difficult.
He used the conversation to emphasise the importance of telling the truth, even when doing so is uncomfortable.
Warner also acknowledged the difficult years experienced by the families of Smith and Bancroft.
His remarks offered a personal perspective on a controversy that has often been discussed primarily through suspensions, investigations and sporting consequences.
Questions Remain for Australia’s 2018 Players
Although the Cricket Australia executives involved in the original investigation have since left their positions, several members of the 2018 Australian squad remain active in international cricket.
Mitchell Starc is expected to face questions from the media at a commercial event on Tuesday, while Mitchell Marsh is scheduled to speak on Thursday ahead of Australia’s ODI series against England.
Their appearances could provide further opportunities for journalists to seek clarification about the claims.
The controversy has also brought renewed attention to comments made by Bancroft in 2021, when he suggested that knowledge of the ball-tampering activities among Australia’s bowlers was “self explanatory”.
That interview prompted a response from the bowlers involved, who disputed suggestions that they had known about the use of a foreign substance on the ball.
Khawaja’s autobiography also discusses a conversation with Todd Greenberg, now Cricket Australia’s chief executive, who was leading the Australian Cricketers’ Association at the time.
A Scandal That Refuses to Fade
Eight years on, Sandpapergate remains one of the most controversial episodes in Australian cricket.
The punishments handed to Warner, Smith and Bancroft are well documented, but Khawaja’s allegations have reopened questions about the wider team’s knowledge and the scope of Cricket Australia’s investigation.
Warner’s public endorsement adds weight to Khawaja’s account, although the new allegations remain disputed and have not been independently established.
For now, Cricket Australia continues to stand by its findings, while Warner and Khawaja are pushing for a more complete examination of the events.
With Sabr set for release and more members of the 2018 squad expected to face the media, the debate surrounding Australian cricket’s most infamous ball-tampering scandal appears far from over.
