Warner accuses Cricket Australia of 'cover-up' over 'Sandpapergate'

Former Australian opener David Warner has accused Cricket Australia (CA) of a "cover-up" regarding the 2018 "Sandpapergate" ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town. On Saturday, November 14, 2026, Warner criticized the original investigation as "shoddy," claiming that bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon were not interviewed.

This follows allegations in Usman Khawaja’s new autobiography that the entire team was aware of the plot. While current Test captain Pat Cummins dismissed Khawaja’s claims as "100 percent wrong," Warner defended Khawaja, accusing Cummins of throwing his friend "under the bus." Cricket Australia has ruled out reopening the investigation, stating that all players were given the opportunity to speak at the time and have had years to provide new evidence, while maintaining that they respect players' rights to provide their own versions of events.