Sports · Cricket · 1 hr ago
Pat Cummins to address Khawaja’s claims about 2018 ball-tampering scandal
Australia captain Pat Cummins will face questions about claims that have revived the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
The claims come from former teammate Usman Khawaja’s new memoir, *Sabr*, and an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.
Khawaja says knowledge of the plot was widespread among players and coaching staff, though only Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were punished.
He also suggested ball tampering had happened before the Cape Town Test where Bancroft was caught.
Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon denied in 2021 that they knew a foreign substance had been taken onto the field to alter the ball.
Cummins has invited media to question him at a press conference in Sydney on Friday morning.
His response could put his captaincy under scrutiny, while Starc has said he stands by the quartet’s earlier statement.
Pat Cummins has called a press conference in Sydney on Friday morning to respond to Usman Khawaja’s claims about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
Khawaja’s memoir says knowledge of the sandpaper plot was widespread among the Australian team and coaching staff.
Cummins and Australia’s other fast bowlers previously denied knowing that a foreign substance had been taken onto the field to alter the ball.
The scandal resulted in lengthy bans for Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, while Khawaja says responsibility was shared more widely.
Cummins has said he took time to understand the full extent of Khawaja’s allegations before responding.
- Who
- Australia captain Pat Cummins and former teammate Usman Khawaja.
- What
- Cummins is set to respond to Khawaja’s claims about knowledge of the 2018 ball-tampering plot.
- When
- Friday morning. Cummins said he would speak at 9.30 am.
- Where
- Cricket Central in Sydney.
- Why
- Khawaja’s memoir has renewed scrutiny of who knew about the sandpaper plot and who was responsible.
Usman Khawaja
Pat Cummins and the bowling group
Knowledge of the plot
Usman Khawaja
Khawaja says knowledge of the sandpaper plot was widespread within the team and coaching staff.
Pat Cummins and the bowling group
Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon previously denied knowing a foreign substance had been taken onto the field to alter the ball.
Responsibility
Usman Khawaja
Khawaja says blame was shared by “all of us” and says his calls for collective responsibility were rejected by some teammates.
Pat Cummins and the bowling group
The sources do not report a specific response from Cummins to Khawaja’s latest claims; the bowling group has previously maintained it was unaware of the substance being taken onto the field.
Cameron Bancroft’s ball-tampering was exposed during the Cape Town Test.
Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Lyon issued a statement denying they knew a foreign substance had been taken onto the field to alter the ball.
Khawaja’s memoir renewed attention on the scandal and his claims about widespread knowledge and shared responsibility.
Cummins is scheduled to speak to the media at Cricket Central in Sydney.
- Press conference
- Friday at 9.30 am
- Location
- Cricket Central, Sydney
- Memoir
- Sabr, by Usman Khawaja
- Banned players
- Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft
- Bowling group
- Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon
3 sources
What people are saying
I’m training at Cricket Central (in Sydney) tomorrow morning before the Blues play in the Shield match.
Happy to speak with any and all media about the events of this week at 9.30 am.
I’ve taken some time to try and better understand the long list and full extent of Uzzy’s allegations so I can respond properly.
As far as our statement said, we weren’t aware of things being taken on the field, that’s where I’ll leave it,