David Warner supports Usman Khawaja's 2018 ball-tampering comments

Former Australian cricketer David Warner has backed Usman Khawaja, stating that his recent account of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal is "100% accurate". The controversy occurred during the third Test match against South Africa in Cape Town, where Australia were found to have used sandpaper to alter the cricket ball.

Following the incident, Cricket Australia handed one-year bans to then-captain Steve Smith and Warner, while batter Cameron Bancroft received a nine-month suspension. Warner, who retired from international cricket in 2024, criticised the governing body's subsequent inquiry, describing the process as "rushed and botched".

Usman Khawaja recently claimed that the entire Australian team was aware of the plan to use sandpaper, contradicting long-standing denials from the team's bowlers. Khawaja expressed surprise that he was never called to provide evidence during the official investigation, noting that he had hoped the truth would have surfaced naturally over the past eight years.

In a video statement posted to Instagram, Warner expressed his full support for Khawaja, stating: "It's been eight years since I spoke on this topic. And Ussie, I throw my full support behind you. I thank you for what you've done. It's 100% accurate what you've said. Now everyone knows the truth."

Warner further questioned the integrity of the investigation, highlighting that Khawaja was sitting next to Cameron Bancroft at the time but was never interviewed. He remarked: "How is that a thorough investigation? It baffles me. We're not here to point fingers and we're not opening old wounds. It's about accountability, transparency, ensuring that the truth is properly examined."

The 2018 punishments were limited to the three batters involved, leaving unanswered questions regarding how bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon were unaware of the ball's altered condition. In 2021, those four players issued a joint statement asserting they "did not know a foreign substance was taken on to the field".

Pat Cummins has served as Test captain since 2021, and all four bowlers remain key members of the national red-ball squad. Warner, aged 40, who finished his career with 8,786 runs from 112 Tests, suggested that many inaccuracies had been circulated by others in the media while many individuals chose to remain silent.

Warner explained that he waited to address Khawaja’s comments so he could first discuss the events with his own children. He shared: "I had to tell them exactly what had happened. My 12-year-old, Ivy, wanted to know why we were holding her, why there were so many cameras, why we were all crying on TV. That was a hard thing to do."

He concluded by emphasising the importance of honesty, adding: "But one thing I did say is, 'Girls, tell the truth, because lies will eventually get out'. It's a very tough time. This is for everyone in Australia. It's been the question everyone's been asking. It's been a tough time for my family, Steven and Cameron, no doubt. But this is what needed to come out. I fully support that, Ussie."