Pat Cummins rejects Usman Khawaja sandpaper claims
Australia captain says former team-mate's book allegations are wrong and utter nonsense.
Pat Cummins has rejected Usman Khawaja's claims that the whole Australia team knew about the 2018 sandpaper plot, calling them wrong and utter nonsense. Cummins made the comments at a media conference in Sydney after Khawaja's autobiography was published.
Key takeaways
- Pat Cummins called Usman Khawaja's claims "100% wrong" and "utter nonsense".
- Khawaja said in his autobiography that the entire Australia team knew about the sandpaper scheme.
- Cummins said he did not know sandpaper was going out on the field.
- Cummins said some claims may be defamatory but he will not take legal action.
- Cummins and Khawaja played 56 Tests together before Khawaja retired in January.
Australia captain Pat Cummins has rejected former team-mate Usman Khawaja's claims about the 2018 sandpaper scandal, calling them "100% wrong" and "utter nonsense", BBC Sport reported. Cummins spoke at a media conference in Sydney on 12 November 2026 after Khawaja published his autobiography this week.
Cummins said he does not want to talk about the matter again after today. He addressed reporters for 68 minutes at Cricket Central in Sydney, rejecting an offer from a media adviser to wrap up the session early.
Cummins said he had consistently denied knowledge for eight years and did not know sandpaper was going out on the field. He rejected Khawaja's suggestion that he and others were architects of a ball-tampering scheme, calling it complete and utter nonsense.
Cummins said there was no master plan, no grand plan, no team meeting and no bowlers agreeing on what must happen. "Usman is a friend, but friends aren't casual with each other's lives and reputations," Cummins said.
" Cummins said he supports Khawaja telling his story but believes those who speak must be accountable for what they say and do. Cummins said he had been advised that some of Khawaja's claims are probably defamatory but ruled out taking legal action.
He said he has been in contact with Khawaja and Steve Smith since the book was published, but not David Warner. Cummins said he met Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg, who has reviewed the files from the original investigation.
The row concerns one of Australian cricket's biggest controversies. Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were punished for a plot to tamper with the ball using sandpaper during Australia's Test against South Africa in Cape Town in 2018.
Smith and Warner received one-year bans, while Bancroft was suspended for nine months. Cummins said those punishments were heavy handed. 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.
Cummins and Khawaja played 56 Tests together until Khawaja retired from international cricket in January. Khawaja was in the Australia XI when Cummins made his Test debut in 2011 and the pair were also once team-mates in domestic cricket with New South Wales.
Cummins said he had no recollection of Australia tampering with the ball in the 2017-18 Ashes series against England.
Cummins explained why sandpaper would have been present in the dressing room and that it was sometimes used by bowlers in training in order to practise working the ball.
Cummins said he dealt with this at the time, told everyone in the investigation everything he knew and had to defend himself in 2021. He said if he has to do this every time another book or idea comes out, it is pretty ridiculous.
Cummins said he is here to answer it today and will not speak about it again.
Sanctions from the 2018 ball-tampering case
Player | Sanction |
|---|---|
Steve Smith | One-year ban |
David Warner | One-year ban |
Cameron Bancroft | Nine-month suspension |
Related on Apex Sports News
Mitchell Starc responds to Usman Khawaja's Sandpapergate claims
Cricket Australia rejects new Sandpapergate probe after Khawaja book
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