The Sandpaper Gate controversy has taken another big turn, almost eight years after the ball-tampering scandal shocked Australian cricket. It all started when Usman Khawaja broke his silence about Australia’s 2018 South Africa tour. Now, one of the three players who faced the biggest punishments has come forward in his support. David Warner has backed his former teammate and called his claims “100 per cent accurate.”
Warner’s support comes after Khawaja faced strong criticism for claiming that the entire Australian team knew about the use of sandpaper during the Cape Town Test in March 2018. The former Australian opener also questioned why only three players were punished when, he said, the whole team shared responsibility. Now, Warner has supported Khawaja’s claims and raised fresh questions about Cricket Australia’s investigation into the scandal.
In a video posted on Instagram on Sunday, November 9, Warner directly addressed Khawaja and thanked him for finally speaking about the incident.
“Uzzy, I throw my full support behind you. I thank you for what you’ve done. It’s 100 per cent accurate, what you’ve said. Now everyone knows the truth, it’s out there,” Warner said.
David Warner also rejected the idea that Khawaja had made these claims just to promote his upcoming autobiography, Sabr. Instead, he believes his former teammate deserves support for speaking about an incident that has affected him and several other Australian players for years.
David Warner Questions Cricket Australia’s Investigation and Opens Up About Family’s Struggles
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However, Warner’s main concern was not just about the ball-tampering incident. He also questioned the investigation conducted by Cricket Australia.
“This whole interview process was rushed and botched. Uzzy was sitting next to Cameron Bancroft. Uzzy was not interviewed. How is that a thorough investigation? It baffles me,” Warner said.
Warner was also among the players who received the biggest punishments after the scandal. Cricket Australia handed him a 12-month ban from international and domestic cricket. He also received a ban from holding leadership roles in Australian cricket. An independent review panel removed the leadership ban in 2024, but the incident continued to affect his career and public image.
“We’re not here to point fingers, and we’re not opening our wounds. It’s about accountability, transparency, ensuring that the truth is properly examined, and perhaps it’s time people stop scrutinising the person, asking for accountability and start asking those responsible for the investigation to provide it,” he added.
David Warner also explained why he waited a few days before speaking publicly. He recalled a difficult conversation with his 12-year-old daughter, Ivy.
“I’ve had to tell them exactly what had happened – especially my 12-year-old Ivy, wanting to know why we’re holding her, why there were so many cameras, why we’re crying on TV. That was a hard thing to do but one thing I did say is, ‘girls, tell the truth. Because lies will eventually get out,’” Warner said.
He accepted that bringing the controversy back into the spotlight had been difficult for his family, as well as for Steve Smith and Bancroft. However, he believes people needed to know the truth.
ALSO READ: Usman Khawaja Sandpaper Gate Revelation Leaves Australian Cricket Facing Uncomfortable Questions
How Usman Khawaja’s Sandpaper Gate Revelations Started
The latest development comes after Khawaja’s explosive interview with the Sydney Morning Herald. In the interview, he questioned the version of events that people had heard about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
During the Cape Town Test against South Africa, television cameras caught Cameron Bancroft using sandpaper on the ball. He wanted to change its condition and help the bowlers generate reverse swing. The incident soon became one of the biggest controversies in Australian cricket history.
After an investigation, Cricket Australia punished three players. Steve Smith, who was the captain, and his deputy, Warner, received 12-month bans from international and domestic cricket. Bancroft received a nine-month suspension.
However, Khawaja’s recent claims suggested that the incident involved more than just these three players.
“It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us,” Khawaja told the Sydney Morning Herald.
He also claimed that the team had discussed using sandpaper during the previous Test in Port Elizabeth. According to Khawaja, the players had already discussed how effective the material could be before the Cape Town incident.
His biggest concern was that Smith, Warner and Bancroft had to face the consequences while the other members of the team escaped punishment.
Khawaja also questioned why Cricket Australia never interviewed him during its investigation. He was part of the team and sat next to Bancroft in the dressing room, but investigators never asked him about the incident.
Khawaja Defends His Claims in Two Instagram Videos
Khawaja’s interview quickly attracted attention. Many people questioned why he had waited so many years to speak publicly. Some also suggested that he had made these claims because of the upcoming release of his autobiography, Sabr.
Khawaja responded by posting two videos on Instagram on Sunday, November 8. He made it clear that he had not blamed anyone and explained that he had tried to take collective responsibility for the incident years ago.
“I haven’t thrown anyone under the bus,” Khawaja said.
He explained that he wanted to speak openly after Smith, Warner and Bancroft received their punishments in 2018. However, Smith reportedly convinced him not to speak publicly because he wanted to take responsibility for the incident.
Khawaja also revealed that he contacted former Australian coach Justin Langer and Australian Cricketers’ Association CEO Todd Greenberg in 2021. He wanted the team to finally accept its shared responsibility for the incident.
However, a joint statement from Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon changed his mind. The four players denied having any prior knowledge of the ball-tampering incident, which made Khawaja uncomfortable about speaking publicly.
Khawaja Reveals His Promise to Childhood Friend David Warner Behind His Decision to Speak Out
Khawaja also made it clear that he believed the three punished players were the real victims of the controversy.
“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 aren’t the victims. These three guys (Bancroft, Warner and Smith) took the blame for all of us, and they’re the victims,” he said.
But perhaps the most personal part of his explanation came when Khawaja revealed why he had finally decided to share his story. He had made a promise to Warner, his childhood friend, and wanted to keep it.
“I made a promise to my childhood friend, David Warner, that I would tell the truth so he could tell his story,” Khawaja said.
He also explained that the three players had faced public criticism, humiliation, and the consequences of the scandal for eight years.
Khawaja never wanted to blame individual teammates. Instead, he wanted everyone involved, including himself, to accept responsibility so the team could finally move forward.
Now, David Warner has publicly backed his claims and questioned the original investigation. This has brought the eight-year-old scandal back into the spotlight. Whether Cricket Australia will review its findings remains to be seen. But with two former teammates now speaking openly, the Sandpaper Gate controversy has entered another chapter.
Do you agree with David Warner? And what are your thoughts on Khawaja’s comments? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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