Usman Khawaja has dropped a bombshell about Australian cricket’s darkest chapter, claiming in his autobiography that the entire Australian team knew about the sandpaper ball-tampering plan in 2018.
Extracts from Khawaja’s book Sabr — Arabic for patience and endurance — were published in the Sydney Morning Herald and Nine newspapers on Saturday, 7 November 2026. The book itself is released on Tuesday, 10 November.
Khawaja, 39, claims the whole team — players and staff — knew about the plan, and that sandpaper was also used in the second Test at Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha, a full Test before the infamous Cape Town Test. He says Cameron Bancroft volunteered to use the sandpaper there and that the ball swung significantly.
He also says he was never interviewed by Cricket Australia’s investigation, despite sitting next to Bancroft in the dressing room throughout the Cape Town Test, and that he urged the team in the dressing room to take collective responsibility rather than let Smith, Warner and Bancroft be scapegoated.
The original Cricket Australia finding was that only Smith, Warner and Bancroft had prior knowledge. Smith and Warner were banned for 12 months and Bancroft for nine months. The bowlers — Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon — publicly denied any knowledge in 2021.
Cricket Australia responded on the same day, 7 November, saying all information presented to it has been “properly considered” and that it “remains comfortable” with its original integrity findings. There is no plan to reopen the investigation. Former England captain Michael Vaughan reacted sharply on social media.
Khawaja retired in January 2026 after 88 Tests and 6,229 runs, with his final Ashes Test at the SCG. His book lands just two weeks before the Ashes begin — and it has reopened a debate Australian cricket thought was closed.
It comes in a huge week for Australian cricket, from the Ashes squad announcement to the tributes after the death of Australian F1 world champion Alan Jones at 80. Sabr is released on 10 November.
Bhudev Bhagaliya is an experienced and senior journalist who has carved a distinct niche for himself in the world of Hindi journalism through his profound understanding and precise writing style. With over two decades of experience in the field of journalism, he has held key responsibilities at Dainik Hindustan for 12 years and at Amar Ujala for one year. Currently, he serves as the Content Editor for the Jagrook Youth News newspaper and portal, where he plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and credibility of the news content. Bhudev Bhagaliya consistently writes about issues that help raise awareness within society and among the younger generation.