Usman Khawaja asserts all Australian players knew of ball tampering in 2018 South Africa series

In his autobiography, Usman Khawaja revealed that the entire Australian cricket team was aware of the use of sandpaper to tamper with the ball during the 2018 Test series against South Africa, including the Test prior to the infamous Cape Town match. The scandal, dubbed 'sandpapergate,' resulted in bans for captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft. Khawaja stated that discussions about ball tampering began during the second Test and that Smith reportedly disengaged from the tactic by the third Test. Although only the three batters were punished, Khawaja believes the team collectively knew about the scheme. Bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon have denied prior knowledge and issued statements to refute rumors. Khawaja expressed regret that the truth has not been fully acknowledged and emphasized the need for collective responsibility.