Melbourne [Australia], November 8 : Former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has issued a clarification on his remarks regarding Australia's 2018 ball-tampering scandal during the South Africa tour, popularly known as the "Sandpaper incident", saying he believes the responsibility for what happened should have been taken collectively by the team.
Khawaja said former Australian captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were the ones who bore the consequences of the incident on behalf of the team, adding that the three players deserved justice.
In a video shared on Instagram, Khawaja said his remarks had been blown out of proportion by the media. He clarified that his reference to "all of us" was intended to highlight collective responsibility rather than suggest that he was speaking on behalf of other players.
"All right, time to clear some facts because the media is taking this to the moon, as expected, and I stayed quiet yesterday, but number one, if you read my article, you would have seen. When I mentioned it was all of us, that's implying that whether we like it or not, we are all responsible for what happened together, as a team, we need to take that collectively," Khawaja said.
"That is all, but now that everyone's talking, am I going to deny that everyone knew? No. I won't deny that either. But I never speak on behalf of anyone else in my book, contrary to what the headlines and clickbait media would have you think. Have a read yourself. I'll put it up," he added.
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Explaining why he had decided to speak about the controversy now, Khawaja said he had documented everything that happened shortly after the Cape Town incident in 2018. He also revealed that he had previously attempted to persuade his teammates to acknowledge collective responsibility.
"So you guys, don't get caught up in this shit. Now, the only other thing that I think is really relevant and which I want to talk about is the question why now? Well, because I've been trying to take this as a team right from the start. You can believe my story or not, but the fact is I wrote everything that happened down a few days later after Cape Town. So you can question my story, no issue, but my memory, I'm not sure about that. When the other guys got their penalties," he said.
"I told Smudge (Steve Smith) that I was going to come clean to the media, I couldn't believe the penalties we got. But Smudge being the man, the leader he was, talked me out of it. You can read it, it's in my book. He wanted to take the blame. I argued with him, but he was having none of it. That's the first time I tried to come out. So again in 2021, it reared its ugly head," Khawaja added.
He also recalled contacting former Australia coach Justin Langer and then Australian Cricketers' Association CEO Todd Greenberg in 2021 to discuss addressing the controversy collectively.
"And I once again called JL on the phone for hours. Come on, let's take it together, let's copper to the team. We have another opportunity to finally take this squash this once and for all. I was on the phone to Todd Greenberg, who's the ACA, CIO CEO back that time too, who's our Player Union. But then that statement came out from the guys. And pretty much, what could I do then? I wasn't going to go to war with those guys back then. I just I wasn't comfortable, but the truth," he said.
The former Australian batter also explained why he had remained silent during the four years he continued playing for Australia, saying he was unsure how to raise the issue without affecting the team's environment.
"So then you ask, why didn't I say anything in those four years after that, while I was still playing? while I was still playing. You know what? I never wanted to be the first guy to chat about this, call me a chicken or whatever you want. I didn't know how to do it because I was still in the team. How was it ever supposed to bring this up when I knew some of my teammates didn't want to talk about it? Because I knew everything I did or said, always influenced and affected the team," he said.
He further recalled seeking the support of Australian captain Pat Cummins when he spoke publicly about Palestinians in 2023, saying he had offered to stop if his views affected the team.
"I knew this. Even when I spoke out in 2023 about the Palestinians, the first day the story broke out. I saw Patty in the hotel and said, Patty, first and foremost I'm an Australian cricketer, if you want me to stop, I will stop right now. I promise you. And to his credit, he looked at me and said, it doesn't affect us, if you believe in it, keep going. And I appreciate that," Khawaja said.
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Khawaja said he had always prioritised the team's interests and deliberately waited until Australia's tour of South Africa had concluded before making his account public. He also rejected suggestions that his decision to speak about the controversy was driven by a desire to increase book sales.
"I was always conscious of putting my team first. But I'm not in that team anymore. What I say now isn't a reflection of them anymore. And now my words don't influence the team at all. I speak for myself. But even so, I refuse to publish any of this while the boys are still in South Africa. That's why I call Pat. Why would someone who really wants to increase the sale of his books refuse the greatest marketing opportunity he had? Like literally the greatest. Everyone would have been talking about my book over there, all over the world during that series. But that was never my goal. I waited till it was over. And you know what, I haven't thrown anyone under the bus," he said.
Khawaja maintained that Smith, Warner and Cameron Bancroft were the ones who bore the consequences of the scandal, while other members of the team were able to move on.
"The guys that are currently in the team right now and the other people that were there on the South African tour, including me. Including me, we're not the victims. These three guys took the blame for all of us, they're the victims. Yes, it was tough for everyone, including me. I had sleepless nights too. I told Rachel and Justin, I'm not sure if I can go back in the change rooms ever again. But those three are the ones that had to endure this for the last eight years, quietly. People telling them that they're cheats. Getting nailed by the crowd, public humiliation. None of us had to deal with that. And I'm glad everyone else has moved on from this too. But I promise you, those guys have not moved on," he said.
He further said that the three players continued to face the consequences of the incident, with Bancroft, in particular, sharing his difficulties during the recent tour of South Africa.
"How can they if the truth has never come out? And I know this because I've been told by them. Bancroft told me at length at how hard the last month was watching the team in South Africa, dealing with everything. Davey, this whole last eight years, he's had to deal with this with his family. And Smudge, he doesn't even want to talk about it anymore," Khawaja said.
Concluding his clarification, Khawaja revealed that he had made a promise to his childhood friend Warner that he would speak the truth and stand up for the three players.
"But lastly, and most importantly, I made a promise to my childhood friend David Warner. That I would tell the truth so he could tell the story. I'm absolutely 100% unapologetic for that. I stuck up for all cricketers in the past when the ACA fighting for what I thought was right. This is no different. These three guys deserve justice. And I haven't pointed fingers at anyone. I'm still searching for what I was searching all those years ago. For us, me included, to take the blame together as a team, so we can all move on from this once and for all. And, you know what? I would do it again in a heartbeat," he said.