Cummins denies Khawaja claim that Australia team knew of 2018 ball-tampering plot

As reported by Al Jazeera, BBC Sport and The Guardian (Sport). The allegations below are theirs, not Vocemundi's.

Australia captain Pat Cummins has denied claims in Usman Khawaja's autobiography about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. He spoke at a 68-minute news conference in Sydney.

Khawaja's book was published this week. In it, he says all the players in the team knew about the sandpaper plot at the Cape Town Test.

"When he says we all knew, if by that he means we knew sandpaper was going out on the field, he's 100% wrong," Cummins said, according to BBC Sport. The Guardian has the same wording. Al Jazeera's version says "in the field".

BBC Sport quoted Cummins as saying: "He says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper with sandpaper. That's complete and utter nonsense." He said there was no master plan, no team meeting and no bowlers deciding to tamper with the ball.

Khawaja says he asked the team to take collective responsibility, and that two players refused. Cummins said he does not remember any such conversation.

Cummins said he had been advised that some of Khawaja's claims are probably defamatory, but he will not take legal action. He said he answered truthfully in the 2018 review. He also called the bans on the three punished players too heavy-handed.

He said sandpaper was normally kept in the dressing room. It was sometimes used to scuff balls in training, so batters could practise against reverse swing. Cummins was 24 and playing his 13th Test in 2018.

In 2018, Cricket Australia banned Steve Smith and David Warner for one year and suspended Cameron Bancroft for nine months. In 2021, Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon denied knowledge of the plot in a joint statement.

According to BBC Sport, Cummins said he had met Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg. He said Greenberg had reviewed the original files and found the accounts "consistent". The reports do not include a statement from Greenberg on this.

Cummins also responded to Khawaja's claim that his background prevented him from becoming captain. "I couldn't disagree with that statement any more," he said, according to Al Jazeera.

What is disputed

Khawaja says all the players knew. Warner backs him, and BBC Sport reports that squad member Chadd Sayers also supports him. Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Lyon, former coach Darren Lehmann and former assistant Graeme Hick deny any knowledge. The 2018 investigation found the three punished players solely responsible.

What each side says

Cummins: "Usman is a friend, but friends aren't casual with each other's lives and reputations," according to BBC Sport.

Warner, in TV commentary, said Cummins "threw Uzzie under the bus", according to Al Jazeera.

Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening the investigation. The reports do not include any response from Khawaja to the news conference.

Vocemundi note: this story relays allegations published by Al Jazeera, BBC Sport and The Guardian (Sport). Vocemundi did not have access to the underlying evidence or documents and has not independently verified these claims. The people and organisations named are presumed innocent; their response is included where it was available.

Analysis

The dispute now rests on competing accounts from former teammates, with no new documentary evidence described in the reports. Cricket Australia's refusal to reopen the investigation may limit formal developments. However, Khawaja and Warner have both criticised the 2018 process, and the reports note calls for a new inquiry. Cummins's decision not to sue and to stop discussing the matter could reduce further public exchanges. Further statements from Khawaja, Greenberg or players not yet quoted could shift the debate. The reports do not show whether any new evidence would emerge.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.

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