Cricket Australia (CA) on 7 November 2026 responded to explosive claims made by former opener Usman Khawaja, who alleged that the entire Australian squad was aware of the ball-tampering incident during the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa — a scandal that upended Australian cricket. CA stated that all information presented to it had been 'properly considered' and that it remains 'comfortable' with the findings of its integrity process.

What Khawaja Claimed

Khawaja is set to detail the incident in his upcoming memoir 'Sabr', in which he reportedly asserts that sandpaper was used not only in the Cape Town Test but also in the preceding Test match. More strikingly, he claims knowledge of the scheme extended across the entire playing group — far beyond the three individuals who were sanctioned. 'It was all of us. Not the batters, not the bowlers, not the staff. All of us,' Khawaja said, as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald ahead of the book's release.

He also revealed a reluctance to come forward, saying, 'In an ideal world, I don't want to do this. I don't want to be the one who comes out and talks about the truth. The issue is that I genuinely thought after eight years the truth would have been out by now.'

Cricket Australia's Official Response

CA's statement acknowledged the sustained public interest surrounding the incident. 'There has been a great deal of speculation in the eight years since the 2018 Cape Town Test, including extensive media coverage throughout last month's series in South Africa,' the governing body said. It added that there had been 'the ongoing opportunity to present any relevant information' and that this 'remains the case.' CA did not announce any plans to reopen the investigation.

What We Knew Before — and What Has Changed

Until now, public understanding held that then-captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and batter Cameron Bancroft were the principal figures in the incident — with Bancroft caught on camera applying the object to the ball. Smith and Warner were handed one-year bans from international and domestic cricket, while Bancroft received a nine-month ban. Smith was additionally barred from captaining Australia for two years, and Warner was handed a lifetime leadership ban — a sanction that was overturned in 2024.

Khawaja's account, if corroborated, would suggest that the sanctions were applied to a small subset of a broader collective operation — a claim that could reignite calls for a fuller inquiry.

The South Africa Angle

Khawaja also alleged that the South African team was 'far better' at working the ball through unconventional means, and that Australia was 'trying to keep up with them.' This comes amid notable context: then-South Africa captain Faf du Plessis had himself been sanctioned twice for ball tampering and has stated on multiple occasions that his side was also attempting to manipulate reverse swing through unconventional methods.

What Happens Next

The full scope of Khawaja's disclosures will become clearer upon 'Sabr''s release. Cricket administrators, players' associations, and anti-corruption officials will likely face renewed pressure to respond to the specific details laid out in the memoir. Whether CA's current stance holds will depend on how much new, documented evidence the book contains beyond Khawaja's personal testimony.