Cricket Australia says no benefit in reopening Sandpapergate probe after Khawaja's claims
Cricket Australia on Tuesday said there was no benefit in reopening its investigation after Usman Khawaja alleged in his new book Sabr that the Australian playing group and coaching staff knew sandpaper was being used during the Sandpapergate incident in Cape Town in March 2018. Chief executive Todd Greenberg told SEN’s Adam White the board remained satisfied with its original process and preferred to look ahead rather than revisit the controversy.
Khawaja’s account in Sabr contradicts Cricket Australia’s 2018 findings that only three players — Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft — were involved in the ball-tampering episode. At the time the bowling group, including Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, was understood to have had no knowledge of the plot, a finding Khawaja now disputes in his book.
Speaking to SEN on Tuesday, Greenberg said he respected Khawaja for sharing his version of events but cautioned against reacting to headlines. "I read his comments over the weekend in the media, exactly the same time as the public and I'll obviously get to read his book at some point," he said. "But there are specific details in his book that contradict the versions that have been provided by others. And I want to be really careful to consider what Usman's actually said, and not respond to the headlines or the subsequent commentary that gets created."
Greenberg said players had been encouraged to provide accounts during the original investigation and that opportunities to do so had continued over the last eight years. "There’s absolutely no benefit going back. That's the position of the CA board, it's time to look ahead," he said, underlining Cricket Australia’s decision not to reopen the probe.
The CA chief also predicted that additional published recollections could produce divergent narratives. "I'm sure David will release a book, and I've no doubt that several others of these champion group of Australian cricketers will release a book," Greenberg said. "It's highly likely, our captain (Pat Cummins) will release a book at some point. Others will also release a book, and unfortunately, I think what we'll read are differing versions of events."
Khawaja and Warner have both publicly questioned aspects of the original investigation, with Khawaja describing the process as botched and saying he was not asked a single question despite sitting next to Bancroft during the hearing. Khawaja has also said he attempted to come clean on two occasions — immediately after the incident and again in 2021 — but alleged he was prevented first by Smith and later by a statement from the bowling group denying involvement.
In publicity ahead of Sabr’s release Khawaja said: "It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us," and added, "In an ideal world, I don't want to do this. I don't want to be the one who comes out and talks about the truth. The issue is that I genuinely thought after eight years the truth would have been out by now." On Instagram he clarified: "Now that everyone's talking, am I going to deny that everyone knew? Nah. I won't deny that either," he wrote. "But I never speak on behalf of anyone else in my book. Contrary to all the headlines the clickbait media would have you think."
Television footage in March 2018 during the third Test in Cape Town showed Bancroft using sandpaper to alter the ball, an act that led to suspensions for Smith, Warner and Bancroft and the stripping of leadership roles from Smith and Warner. Cricket Australia’s current position is to maintain its original findings and not reopen the investigation, even as Greenberg anticipates more personal accounts to be published by members of that Australian squad.
