Usman Khawaja has withdrawn from interviews promoting his autobiography amid criticism over his claims about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. The Australian Cricketers’ Association urged an end to online abuse, while David Warner backed Khawaja’s call for renewed scrutiny
Published Date – 11 November 2026, 03:54 PM
Melbourne: Under-fire Usman Khawaja has withdrawn from interviews promoting his autobiography after facing criticism, while the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) has urged an end to the furore that has been reignited following his claims that the entire team was involved in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
Khawaja’s book, ‘Sabr’, which was released on Tuesday, has reignited the controversy surrounding the Cape Town Test against South Africa in 2018, with the former batter alleging that the entire team knew about the plan to use sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball.
He claimed that then captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and opener Cameron Bancroft were made scapegoats by cricket administrators despite the alleged wider knowledge within the team.
However, former teammate Mitchell Starc, who was part of the side, rejected Khawaja’s assertions and reiterated the position he had taken in 2021 that the bowlers were not aware of the conspiracy.
The controversy escalated after Khawaja struggled to address questions about the allegations during an interview with ABC on Tuesday evening. He was pointedly asked whether the four frontline bowlers — Pat Cummins, Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon — had been part of discussions around ball-tampering.
Khawaja was also asked directly whether current Test captain Cummins knew in advance about the use of sandpaper. He refused to answer the questions, insisting that he had merely told his “truth” in the book, drawing criticism.
His publisher, Penguin, subsequently confirmed changes to his promotional schedule, though it stopped short of specifying which appearances had been cancelled or altered.
“The book tour is 100 (per cent) still going ahead, we’ve just had to make some adjustments this week but no major cancellation of the tour at all,” the publisher said in a statement.
The ACA refrained from taking sides in the renewed debate but called for an end to the personal attacks on those involved, stressing that the fallout from the scandal had already taken a heavy toll.
“The events of the 2018 South African tour were a low point for Australian cricket. Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft paid an enormous price for what happened, one that was greater than and, as the ACA said at the time, disproportionate to any precedent in the game,” ACA chief executive Paul Marsh said in a statement.
“Eight years on, it is understandable that those involved may have different recollections and perspectives of what took place. Players and staff at the heart of the issue are entitled to share their experiences, just as others are entitled to put such a challenging period in their lives behind them.”
In addition to the one-year suspensions from playing, Smith and Warner had also received leadership bans from Cricket Australia.
“There are no winners in this issue, and nothing can undo what happened. But we must recognise that there are humans at the centre of this, and we will continue to call for the ongoing vitriol directed at those involved to come to an end. The price paid, both professionally and personally, has already been too great,” Marsh said.
“The ACA will not be commenting on individual accounts of what took place. The ACA’s role is to support our members, and we have been in contact with all players on that tour to offer our support. This support extends to all members of the ACA and their families.”
Khawaja also received backing from Warner, who urged Cricket Australia to reopen the investigation, describing the original probe as “rushed and botched”.
Separately, Khawaja has alleged in his autobiography that he was subjected to racial abuse by a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in the Lord’s Long Room during the 2023 Ashes series, following the controversial dismissal of England batter Jonny Bairstow.
