Whole team knew about ball tampering, Warner backs Khawaja's claim

Usman Khawaja had claimed that everyone in the Australian team knew about the ball-tampering incident during the 2018 tour of South Africa. David Warner has now backed that claim, calling it one hundred per cent correct. According to the former Australian opener, what Khawaja said is completely true.

Khawaja's explosive remarks in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald have brought the eight-year-old ball-tampering controversy back into discussion. During the 2018 South Africa tour, then captain Steve Smith, vice-captain Warner and opener Cameron Bancroft were banned over the ball-tampering incident. But Khawaja's recent claim is that everyone in the team was aware of what happened.

His statement conflicts with a joint statement given in 2021 by Australia's four bowlers — Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon — in which they said they had no prior knowledge of the ball tampering.

On Sunday (November 9), Warner stood by Khawaja in a video posted on his Instagram. He thanked his former teammate for bringing the truth into the open. He also rejected the idea that Khawaja was saying these things to promote sales of his upcoming autobiography, 'Sabre'.

In the video, Warner said, 'Khawaja, you have my full support. Thank you for what you have done. What you said is one hundred per cent correct. Now everyone knows the truth, it has come out in the open.'

Khawaja had also said that although he sat next to Bancroft during the Test match, he was not questioned in Cricket Australia's investigation. Warner also expressed surprise at this. In his view, the investigation process lacked sufficient transparency and thorough inquiry.

Warner said, 'The whole questioning process was done in a hurry and there were many mistakes in it. Uzi was sitting next to Cameron Bancroft. Yet he was not questioned at all. How can that be called a complete investigation? It surprises me.'

He added, 'We are not trying to blame anyone, nor do we want to reopen old wounds. This is about ensuring accountability and transparency, about examining the truth properly. The time has come to seek accountability from those who were in charge of the investigation. Instead, those who are seeking accountability should stop being questioned again and again.'

Warner also claimed that over the past eight years, many statements and much wrong information about the ball-tampering incident have been published in the media. The former Australian opener also explained why he took a few days before speaking publicly. He wanted to talk to his daughters first and help them understand the whole incident and what followed.

An emotional Warner said that his 12-year-old daughter Ivy, in particular, had asked why she was being held in a hug, why there were so many cameras, and why everyone on television was crying. Explaining the incident to his daughters was difficult for him. But he told them one thing: 'Girls, always tell the truth. Because a lie will come out one day or another.'

Warner believes the time has been difficult not only for his own family but also for the families of Smith and Bancroft since the old incident has come up again. But he believes it was necessary for the matter to come up again so that the truth could be revealed.

Notably, Warner was banned from international and domestic cricket for 12 months over the ball-tampering incident.