Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has spoken out about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal known as Sandpapergate, raising fresh questions about who within the team was aware of the cheating. Khawaja's comments, reported by The Independent, suggest he has disclosed previously unknown information about the incident that led to bans for Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft.
The scandal erupted during Australia's Test match against South Africa in Cape Town, where Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to alter the ball. Khawaja, who was not part of the playing XI at the time, has now indicated that knowledge of the plan may have extended beyond the three sanctioned players. His remarks have reignited debate over the culture within Australian cricket at the time.
