(ESPN) David Warner has called the Cricket Australia (CA) investigation into the 2018 ball-tampering scandal “botched” and has asked for “accountability” and “transparency” on the eve of the publication of Usman Khawaja‘s autobiography.
Three days after the first story about the book – Sabr, to be published on Tuesday – came out, Warner took to Instagram from Nepal, where he is playing in the Nepal Premier League, to say that everything Khawaja has written is “100% accurate”.
Khawaja has said that Australia used sandpaper on the ball in the Test before Cape Town in Gqeberha (then Port Elizabeth), implicated that there was awareness of the plans beyond those punished, that he repeatedly called on the team to take collective responsibility and he was never interviewed during the investigation despite knowing what had taken place.
Warner was one of three players sanctioned after the Newlands Test, alongside Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft, handed a year-long ban from the game and a lifetime leadership ban, which was overturned in 2024.
“It’s been eight years since I’ve spoken on this topic and Uzzy, I throw my full support behind you,” Warner said. “I thank you for what you’ve done. It’s 100% accurate what you’ve said.
“Now everyone knows the truth, it’s out there. People wanted to know it, you’ve come out and said it, and now people are saying why eight years on, talking about selling a book. This is Usman’s story, this is what Usman believes. Uzzy wrote down every single thing from that day on. Uzzy, thank you.
“Now, this whole interview process was rushed and botched. Uzzy was sitting next to Cameron Bancroft. Uzzy was not interviewed. How is that a thorough investigation? It baffles me.
“We’re not here to point fingers and we’re not opening our wounds. It’s about accountability, transparency, ensuring that the truth is properly examined and perhaps it’s time people stop scrutinising the person, asking for accountability and start asking those responsible for the investigation to provide it.
“Now, there was a lot of statements and inaccuracies over the last eight years that were out in the media by people and there was a lot of people who stayed silent.”
Warner added that it had taken him a few days to respond as he wanted to explain the situation to his children and about the images that emerged in 2018. “That was a hard thing to do but one thing I did say is, girls, tell the truth. Because lies will eventually get out.”
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