David Warner has publicly backed Usman Khawaja's revelations about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, describing the former opener's account as '100 per cent accurate'. In a video posted on social media, Warner thanked Khawaja for telling the 'truth' and dismissed suggestions that the revelations were aimed at boosting book sales.
Khawaja's bombshell claims
In his autobiography 'Sabr: Finding My Way in Cricket and Life', Khawaja claimed that the entire Australian team were aware of the use of sandpaper to tamper with the ball during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town in 2018, not just Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft. 'It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us,' the recently retired 39-year-old said.
Khawaja defended the timing of his revelations, insisting he had not 'thrown anyone under the bus'. In a two-part video on Instagram, he said: 'I haven't thrown anyone under the bus. The guys that are currently in the team right now and the other people that were there on the South African tour, including me, we're not the victims. These three guys took the blame for all of us. They're the victims… people telling them that they're cheats, getting nailed by the crowd. Public humiliation.'
Warner's response
Warner, who retired from Test cricket in January 2024, rubbished claims that Khawaja had made the revelations to help boost sales of his autobiography in the run-up to Christmas. 'Hi, everyone. It's been eight years since I've spoken on this topic and Uzzie, I throw my full support behind you. I thank you for what you've done,' Warner said. 'It's 100 per cent accurate what you've said. Now everyone knows the truth, it's out there.'
Warner also criticised the original investigation into the scandal, noting that Khawaja was not interviewed. 'Now, this whole interview process was rushed and botched. Uzzie was sitting next to Cameron Bancroft, Uzzie was not interviewed. How is that a thorough investigation? It baffles me.'
Fallout and denials
Warner opened up on how 'tough' it had been to relive the sandpaper saga while explaining details of the controversy to his daughters in the wake of Khawaja's statement. 'The last couple of days, I've been talking to my daughters and that's why it has taken a couple of days to get this out because I've had to tell them exactly what had happened, especially my 12-year-old Ivy, who wanted to know why there were so many cameras, why we were all crying on TV.'
The four Australian bowlers involved in the 2018 Cape Town Test, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, have repeatedly and categorically denied that they were aware of any plans to tamper with the ball. Australia's head coach at the time, Darren Lehmann, who was cleared of any wrongdoing, has adopted a similar stance, telling ABC Sport: 'I don't think everyone would have known. You do know ball tampering is going on because it's been happening for 150 years. It's just how it's being done, and how you would know to that extent? I can only speak to what I know, and I know ball tampering was a big part of the game of cricket. Now it is obsolete. That doesn't make it right either, but that's the case, and we paid a heavy price for that.'
