Khawaja denies throwing ‘anyone under the bus’ over Sandpapergate scandal

What the report says

Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has defended his decision to speak publicly about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal known as Sandpapergate, rejecting criticism that he was “throwing anyone under the bus.” In comments reported by Al Jazeera on 8 November 2026, Khawaja said he had wanted to “come clean” about the episode for years and denied that the timing was a marketing tactic linked to his autobiography.

Khawaja’s remarks came after he released an excerpt from the book saying the wider Australian squad had been aware of the incident during the South Africa tour. The scandal, which centred on the use of sandpaper to alter the ball during a Cape Town Test in March 2018, became a major crisis for Cricket Australia. Captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were among those banned over their roles.

In an Instagram video, Khawaja said he believed the three punished players had carried the blame for the whole team and should receive justice. He said he had considered speaking out in 2018 and again in 2021, but chose not to while still part of the national setup.

The report noted that Australia’s Test team returned to South Africa last month for the first time since 2018, with the series and the upcoming book release renewing attention on the controversy. For readers unfamiliar with the case, ball-tampering breaches the sport’s rules and has long been treated as a serious integrity issue.