Usman Khawaja cancels media interviews following Sandpapergate questions
The former Australian opener withdrew from TV and radio appearances after being questioned about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
Former Australian opener Usman Khawaja has cancelled his remaining television and radio interviews for the promotion of his autobiography, Sabr, according to reports from Times of India and News18. The decision followed a difficult interview on ABC's 7.30 with host Sarah Ferguson regarding his claims about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
Publisher Penguin informed media outlets on Wednesday morning about the cancellations. Khawaja reportedly wants to avoid future interviews focusing primarily on the Sandpapergate controversy rather than other subjects in his book. He will still participate in previously scheduled podcast appearances.
During the ABC interview, Khawaja was asked if captain Pat Cummins knew about the use of sandpaper. He declined to answer, stating, "I'm not going to answer that." He also declined to comment on David Warner's support for his version of events, saying he would not speak on behalf of Warner.
Khawaja claims in his book that the whole Australian team was aware of the plan during the 2018 Test in Cape Town. This contradicts previous Cricket Australia findings that held Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft responsible. Khawaja stated he wanted the entire team to take accountability rather than leaving three players to face the consequences.
Cricket Australia defended its previous investigation findings but acknowledged the inquiry was completed in a short timeframe. Chief executive Todd Greenberg has ruled out reopening the investigation into the incident.