Cummins Sandpaper Denial: Khawaja Claims ‘Nonsense’

Australia captain Pat Cummins has denied any part in the 2018 ball-tampering plot, calling claims in Usman Khawaja’s autobiography “utter nonsense”. The Cummins sandpaper denial came at a press conference in Sydney on Friday, eight years after the scandal at Newlands shook Australian cricket.

Khawaja, whose autobiography was published this week, said last weekend that all the players at Newlands knew about the plot. His account has triggered calls for a new investigation. Cricket Australia has already ruled out a fresh inquiry, after Mitchell Starc also broke his silence on the claims.

“When he says we all knew, if by that he means that we knew sandpaper was going out in the field, he’s 100% wrong. I’ve said that consistently for the last eight years,” Cummins said. “I did not know that was happening, but I think Usman actually says things that are actually far more serious than that. He says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball tamper with sandpaper. That’s complete and utter nonsense.”

Cummins said he was shocked to learn that Khawaja had admitted telling Cameron Bancroft to be careful when using sandpaper. “That’s not the Usman that I know,” he said. “It’s not the Usman that has been part of a team, and has helped rebuild the Australian cricket culture over the last eight years.”

He said he respected Khawaja’s right to tell his story, but the claims were serious and had to be answered. “Usman’s a friend, but friends aren’t casual with each other’s lives and reputations. In his book, Ussie has been casual with my life and the lives of many others, and I think Australian cricket.”

What happened at Newlands in 2018

The scandal broke during the third Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town in March 2018, when Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to rough up the ball. Steve Smith, then the captain, and David Warner, his deputy, were banned by Cricket Australia for a year for bringing the game into disrepute. Bancroft, who carried the sandpaper onto the field, received a nine-month ban. All three accepted their punishments and later returned to Test cricket.

Smith broke the record for Test catches during Australia’s recent series in South Africa, a sign of how fully the banned players have returned to the side. Cummins and Matt Renshaw rescued Australia on day one of the first Test in Durban, and Renshaw’s career-best 190 put Australia in command before South Africa hit back to win the second Test by an innings.

Khawaja’s Pakistan roots put the row in focus for local fans

The row centres on a cricketer born in Pakistan. Khawaja was born in Islamabad on 18 December 1986 and moved to Australia with his family when he was four. He grew up in Sydney and became the first Muslim and first Pakistani-born cricketer to play Test cricket for Australia when he made his debut in the 2011 Ashes series.

That background is one reason the memoir, and the reaction to it, have drawn close attention from fans in Pakistan, where Khawaja’s career has long been followed with pride. His account of the Newlands dressing room now sits against the denials of the men he named, and the gap between the two versions is what keeps the story alive.

What the Cummins sandpaper denial means next

Cummins was also asked about Khawaja’s memory that two players had rejected his call for the team to take collective responsibility for the ball-tampering. “I don’t remember any conversation around collective responsibility,” Cummins said. “So then, I’ve got no idea who those two people would be because I don’t remember ever being asked or having a conversation about it.”

He ruled out legal action, even though he had been advised that some of the claims were probably defamatory. “I did get advised this week that some of the things that’ve been said are probably defamatory, but I won’t be doing that,” he said. “You’ve got to move on. It’s been eight years. We’re moving on. So you’ve got to draw a line at some point.”

With Cricket Australia unwilling to reopen the case and Cummins unwilling to go to court, the dispute looks set to stay a war of words. Dawn reported the exchange from Sydney, and the contrast is stark: Khawaja says everyone knew, while Cummins says the claim is wrong and the book has been careless with reputations, including his own.

Frequently asked questions

What did Pat Cummins say about the sandpaper claims?

He denied any involvement in the 2018 plot and called Usman Khawaja’s claims “utter nonsense”. He said he had denied it consistently for eight years and had not known sandpaper was being taken onto the field.

What did Usman Khawaja claim in his autobiography?

Khawaja said all the players at Newlands knew about the sandpaper plot. He also admitted telling Cameron Bancroft to be careful when using sandpaper, a detail Cummins said shocked him.

Who was banned over the 2018 ball-tampering scandal?

Steve Smith and David Warner were banned for a year, and Cameron Bancroft for nine months. All three accepted their punishments and later returned to Test cricket.

Will there be a new investigation into sandpapergate?

Cricket Australia has ruled out a fresh inquiry, and Cummins said he would not take legal action over the memoir. He said it was time to move on after eight years.

Where was Usman Khawaja born?

Khawaja was born in Islamabad, Pakistan, on 18 December 1986. He moved to Australia with his family when he was four and became the first Pakistani-born cricketer to play Test cricket for Australia.