'It Was All Of Us': CA Reacts As Khawaja's Explosive Ball-Tampering Claim Rocks Australia

Cricket Australia (CA) has responded to fresh revelations by former Australian batter Usman Khawaja regarding the infamous 2018 Sandpapergate scandal, maintaining that it continues to stand by the findings of its integrity investigation.

Khawaja, who is set to revisit the controversy in his upcoming book Sabr, has made claims that could challenge the widely accepted understanding of what happened during Australia's 2018 tour of South Africa. According to the former opener, knowledge of the ball-tampering practice extended beyond the three players who were eventually punished.

The controversy dates back to the third Test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town, where Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera attempting to alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper.

Responding to the renewed attention surrounding the incident, Cricket Australia said that the matter had been extensively discussed over the years and that it had considered all relevant information presented to it.

"There has been a great deal of speculation in the eight years since the 2018 Cape Town Test, including extensive media coverage throughout last month's series in South Africa," CA said in a statement.

The governing body also maintained that its position remained unchanged despite the latest claims.

"During this time there has been the ongoing opportunity to present any relevant information, and this remains the case.

"All relevant information presented to CA to date has been properly considered, and we remain comfortable with the findings of our integrity process," the statement added.

Usman Khawaja Claims Entire Australian Team Knew About Sandpapergate

Khawaja's account offers a different perspective on the extent of the controversy, suggesting that the knowledge of the incident was not restricted to the three players publicly identified at the time.

Speaking ahead of his book's release, the former Australia opener indicated that the entire squad was aware of what was happening.

"It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us," Khawaja said, as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald.

His remarks bring renewed attention to the roles played by Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, who faced disciplinary action following the Cape Town incident.

Bancroft was seen applying sandpaper to the ball during the Test, while Smith, who was Australia's captain at the time, and Warner, the vice-captain, were also found to have been involved in the scandal.

Khawaja also explained why he had decided to speak about the matter after such a long period, suggesting that he had expected more information to emerge over the years.

"In an ideal world, I don't want to do this. I don't want to be the one who comes out and talks about the truth. The issue is that I genuinely thought after eight years the truth would have been out by now," he added.

What Were The Punishments For Steve Smith, David Warner And Cameron Bancroft?

Sandpapergate triggered one of the biggest controversies in Australian cricket and resulted in lengthy suspensions for the three players.

Smith and Warner were handed 12-month bans from international and domestic cricket, while Bancroft received a nine-month suspension.

Smith was additionally prohibited from captaining Australia for two years. Warner, meanwhile, received a lifetime leadership ban covering international and Australian domestic cricket. That restriction was overturned in 2024.

Khawaja Raises Questions About South Africa's Reverse Swing Methods

Khawaja also spoke about the competitive context surrounding Australia's attempts to generate reverse swing during the South Africa tour.

He claimed that the hosts were considerably more effective at working on the ball and suggested that Australia were attempting to match their methods. He indicated that further details would feature in his upcoming book.

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has also previously spoken about his team's efforts to generate reverse swing through unconventional methods. Du Plessis faced sanctions twice during his career in separate ball-tampering-related incidents.

With Khawaja preparing to provide a more detailed account in Sabr, the eight-year-old controversy has once again returned to the spotlight. Cricket Australia's latest response, however, makes clear that it remains satisfied with the conclusions of its integrity process.