Pat Cummins says Usman Khawaja’s sandpaper scandal claims are ‘utter nonsense’
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Australia captain Pat Cummins has come out fighting against former team-mate Usman Khawaja, branding his allegations over the sandpaper scandal as “complete and utter nonsense” and “100 per cent wrong”.
Khawaja newly released autobiography contained a series of explosive claims about the ball-tampering drama of 2018, suggesting that the entire squad were party to a plot which ended with Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft assuming all blame.
In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, the former opener concluded: “It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us.”
Cummins previously distanced himself from the conspiracy in 2021, co-signing a statement alongside fellow bowlers Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon denying knowledge.
In the aftermath of Khawaja’s bombshell claims, which have been backed up by Warner, Cummins invited the media to question him at Cricket Central in Sydney and launched a passionate defence.
“When he says we all knew, if that he means we knew sandpaper was going out on the field, he’s 100 per cent wrong,” Cummins said.
“I said that consistently for the last eight years. I did not know that was happening. But I think Usman actually says things that are 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 also shared his frustration at Khawaja’s conduct, suggesting he has acted carelessly by casting inflammatory aspersions on his former team-mates.
“Usman is a friend, but friends aren’t casual with each other’s lives and reputations,” Cummins said.
“In his book he’s been casual with my life and the lives of many others and, I think, Australian cricket. I support him to tell his story, 100 per cent.
“I’m glad he feels like he can but we have to be accountable for the things that we say and do.
“It affects real people. This really affects Australian cricket and I think the way that he’s presented his story, I think he’s done that in a very casual manner. That’s what I’m grappling with at the moment because I don’t think it’s okay.”
