Usman Khawaja’s ‘Sandpapergate’ claims are ‘accurate’, says David Warner

Former Australian cricketer David Warner has backed up claims made by former teammate Usman Khawaja, who said that their entire team had been aware ⁠⁠⁠⁠of the plan to ⁠⁠⁠⁠tamper with the ball during a 2018 Test tour of South Africa. Warner spoke about the scandal, which continues to reverberate six years on, in a social media post on Monday, saying ‌‌‌‌that Khawaja’s comments were “100 percent accurate”. The former Australian opener and fellow batters Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were banned over the plan ⁠⁠⁠⁠to rough up the ball with sandpaper during the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town in 2018.

In a video posted on Instagram, Warner thanked Khawaja and said the investigation by Cricket Australia ‌‌‌‌into the incident was flawed. “Uzzie was sitting next to Cameron Bancroft. Uzzie was not interviewed.

How is that a thorough investigation? It baffles me.” In an excerpt from his autobiography released on Saturday, Khawaja said “open, lighthearted discussions” about tampering were not ⁠⁠⁠⁠confined to batters, bowlers or staff but extended throughout the team.