Usman Khawaja denies using Sandpapergate for book sales
Usman Khawaja rejected claims that he included revelations about Australia’s 2018 ball-tampering scandal to boost sales of his memoir, saying he had full control over its contents. His comments came as Cricket Australia ruled out reopening its investigation and fast bowler Mitchell Starc again denied prior knowledge of the scheme.
Usman Khawaja denied using Australia’s 2018 ball-tampering scandal to drive sales of his memoir, saying on Tuesday that he had no deal with publisher Penguin to include it. The former Test opener’s response came as Cricket Australia said it would not reopen its investigation.
Khawaja has faced criticism over claims in Sabr that the entire team knew sandpaper had been used during the Cape Town Test, and that it had also been used in the previous match.
“I did not negotiate a thing with Penguin when it came to sandpaper or any other topics in my life,” Khawaja said in an Instagram post. “We didn't even talk about it.”
He said he signed with Penguin in 2023 and was told to tell his story, with control over what went into the book. Khawaja said he submitted the final draft just over two years later and that the publisher and his management were shocked by its contents.
“This has never been about commercial gain,” he said. “I don't need the money.”
Former teammate Nic Maddinson had called the revelations “disappointing” and suggested Khawaja had “books to sell.” Khawaja said royalties would begin only after a substantial number of copies sold, and that any eventual earnings would be small.
Khawaja said he wanted to speak about the scandal as part of a promise to David Warner, who was initially portrayed as the architect of the ball-tampering plan. Khawaja also described Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft as victims.
Cricket Australia’s investigation found that only Warner, Smith and Bancroft knew about the plan, according to the account of the inquiry. The three players were banned after the scandal.
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg ruled out reopening the case, saying players would never agree on the facts. Several players have denied prior knowledge of Bancroft using sandpaper on the ball in Cape Town.
Mitchell Starc, one of the bowlers in the match, also denied knowing about the plan. He said his recollection had not changed from the statement he and the other bowlers made in 2021.
“We weren't aware of anything taken on the field to be tampered with,” Starc said. He added that he had not read Khawaja’s book.
Australia’s fast bowler said Khawaja’s claim that the ball was also tampered with in the preceding Test was the first he had heard of it.
