Source : ABC NEWS
Usman Khawaja has defended his version of events about the Australian Test team’s 2018 ball-tampering saga in South Africa, after former teammate Mitchell Starc maintained the bowling group had no idea about ‘Sandpapergate’.
During a wide-ranging interview on 7.30, Khawaja stuck to his guns on the issue once again splitting Australian cricket eight years after the infamous Test match in Cape Town when batsman Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper on the ball.
Khawaja also denied he intended to start a “witch hunt” or use the saga to sell copies of his newly released book, while conceding he was unsure if this would damage friendships he made throughout his career, especially with current Australian captain Pat Cummins.
“I’m not here to inflame the situation anymore,” Khawaja told 7.30.
“I’m not here to go on a witch hunt.
“All I’ve ever wanted is for us to take accountability as a team and I don’t think that’s a lot to say.
“I’m not asking a lot from people and I say, ‘we were a part of it, that was us’. Let’s just take accountability.
“I was here to tell my truth, what I saw, what I felt, and to stick with those three guys that were made out to be the only people who have taken it [accountability].”
The three players Khawaja referred to were his childhood friend David Warner, then-Australian Test captain Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft.
Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith speak with umpires during the Test match. (Getty Images: Ashley Vlotman)
Smith and Warner, who was the vice-captain, were banned from cricket for 12 months and Bancroft received a nine-month ban.
Warner has since backed Khawaja’s version of events “100 per cent”, but on Tuesday afternoon Starc told Fox Cricket’s season launch that he did not know a substance was taken onto the field to tamper with the ball.
In 2021, Starc joined fellow bowlers Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon in releasing a statement disputing any suggestion they had prior knowledge of ball tampering plans.
“There are differing opinions of eight years ago,” Starc said.
“I won’t speak on behalf of the bowlers, but, from where I stand, my opinion hasn’t changed, and my recollection hasn’t changed from what we said in 2021.”
Cummins has not spoken publicly since the release of Khawaja’s book titled Sabr: Finding my way in cricket and life.
Khawaja echoed comments made by former coach Darren Lehmann that ball tampering had been around a long time.
“If you read my book … the whole team was the architect,”
he said.
“Whether one person ball tampers or another.
“And when I say we were all the architects, I mean, we all need to take accountability as a team.
“I’ve been very clear not naming names.”
He also denied his book was forcing anyone else to admit fault.
“I’m not forcing anyone to do anything,” he told 7.30.
“Pat Cummins is a good friend of mine, Mitchell Starc, other players in the team, Shaun Marsh, Mitch Marsh; they’re all very good friends of mine.”
Khawaja ‘not sure’ friendship will survive this
Khawaja spoke to 7.30 about the special bond between him and Cummins, who he said had a “special place” in his heart.
Usman Khawaja and Pat Cummins were longtime teammates. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)
“I always used to go off the field when they used to spray alcohol, and then Pat Cummins called me back; [that was] the first time in my life I felt really part of the Australian cricket team.
“That’s why I’ve always had so much love for Patty.
“Even when I talk about it now, it’s a very emotional time, a very emotional feeling for me.“
Asked if his book might damage that friendship, Khawaja said he didn’t know.
“I’m not sure,” Khawaja admitted.
“I’ve been friends with Pat a long time.
“I’ve given my reasons at the end of the day … I’ve always stood for my values and what I think is right … but I can’t speak for Pat.”
Not about selling books, says Khawaja
While Khawaja was also critical of Cricket Australia’s investigation into the incident as being “rushed”, he was asked about the timing of the revelations made in his book.
“A lot of people have put up a narrative that I’m somehow gaining from this, but at no stage was sandpaper ever discussed in 2023 when I signed my book deal,”
Khawaja said.
“My manager didn’t even know about it until six months ago, neither did anyone really at Penguin.
“All they said to me was, write your story. Whether I wrote about sandpaper or not would not have made one bit of difference.
“When I gave it to them six months ago, they were shocked, because I don’t really talk about this to anyone.
“I could have taken it out and they couldn’t say a word, but I chose to put it in there.”
Khawaja, the first Muslim to play cricket for Australia, wrote in the book about his role as a trailblazer for South Asian Australian cricketers.
At times during his career, the issue of racism was raised. Khawaja himself, in his book, says he felt that after Smith was banned, he was not made captain because of the colour of his skin.
Tim Paine became Test captain after Steve Smith was stood down. (AAP: Scott Barbour)
Rather than say being overlooked was racism, Khawaja told 7.30 it was simply how he felt at the time.
“There’s no concrete evidence of that in terms of what I heard,” Khawaja said.
“Whenever I talk about racism or anything along those lines, it’s how I feel at the time, but yes that’s how I felt.
“I caveat that at the same time with a year later, when Tim Paine was captain, I look back on it and I think, actually … Tim Paine was a great captain.
“At the time, I felt a bit aggrieved, but when I look back on it, I actually don’t think it was the wrong decision.”
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