David Warner adds another explosive claim to Sandpapergate drama
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The Sandpapergate scandal has reignited after former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja’s book *Sabr* reignited claims that the entire team knew about the ball-tampering incident during the 2018 Newlands Test against South Africa. In response, Australian captain Pat Cummins held a press conference denying any prior knowledge, calling Khawaja’s assertion that the bowling group was involved “complete and utter nonsense.” Cummins also revealed that Khawaja had allegedly admitted to warning Cameron Bancroft about careful sandpaper use, a claim that contradicts the team’s earlier stance that no one was aware of the tampering at the time.
Former Australian opener David Warner has now escalated the controversy, accusing Cricket Australia of a flawed investigation. Warner pointed out that key bowlers—Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon—were never interviewed during the 2018 probe, suggesting a preordained narrative to shield the bowling group.
His criticism follows his earlier support for Khawaja, marking him as the only player from the original Sandpapergate trio (alongside Bancroft and Steve Smith) to publicly back the batter’s claims. While Cummins and Cricket Australia continue to defend their version of events, Warner’s latest allegations have deepened suspicions of a cover-up.