Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) CEO Paul Marsh has responded to the renewed controversy around the 2018 Cape Town sandpapergate, saying the ACA will not comment on individual accounts of what transpired, as former Australia opener Usman Khawaja alleged that the entire Australian team was aware of the ball-tampering scandal. Marsh's statement, issued on 10 November 2026, came as the affair returned to headlines ahead of Khawaja's book release.

What the ACA Said

Paul Marsh described the events of the 2018 South African tour as 'a low point for Australian cricket,' acknowledging that Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft 'paid an enormous price for what happened — one that was greater than and, as the ACA said at the time, disproportionate to any precedent in the game.' Marsh stressed that those at the heart of the issue are entitled to share their experiences, just as others are equally entitled to put the episode behind them.

'Eight years on, it is understandable that those involved may have different recollections and perspectives of what took place,' Marsh said in the ACA statement. He called for the 'ongoing vitriol directed at those involved to come to an end,' adding that 'the price paid, both professionally and personally, has already been too great.'

Khawaja's Explosive Allegations

The scandal was reignited when Usman Khawaja, ahead of the release of his book on Tuesday, claimed that virtually the entire squad had prior knowledge of the plan. '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. He added that in an ideal world he would not want to be the one to speak out, but that he genuinely expected the truth to have emerged over the previous eight years.

Khawaja also claimed the Australian side had used the object during the preceding Test in Gqeberha (then known as Port Elizabeth), extending the alleged timeline of the incident beyond the Cape Town Test alone.

Warner Backs Khawaja's Account

David Warner, who served a one-year ban and a lifetime leadership ban from international and domestic cricket — the latter overturned in 2024 — threw his public support behind Khawaja in a video statement. 'Hi everyone, it's been eight years since I've spoken on this topic, and Uzzi, I throw my full support behind you... It's 100% accurate what you've said,' Warner said, adding that Khawaja had written down every detail from that day onward.

Cricket Australia Rules Out Reopening the Case

Cricket Australia (CA) has maintained it is 'comfortable with the findings of our integrity process.' CA chief Todd Greenberg, speaking to Sen Radio, ruled out any fresh investigation, stating 'there's absolutely no benefit in going back.' The position draws a sharp contrast with Khawaja's insistence that the full picture was never publicly acknowledged.

What Happens Next

With Khawaja's book now due for release and Warner's public endorsement amplifying the claims, pressure on Cricket Australia to revisit the matter may intensify — even as officials continue to resist it. The ACA has confirmed it has been in contact with all players from the 2018 tour to offer support, extending that offer to members' families as well. How the broader Australian cricketing public and international observers respond to the new disclosures will shape the narrative heading into the next Australian summer.