Khawaja’s Sabr memoir reopens Sandpapergate and adds Lord’s racial-abuse claim

Usman Khawaja has moved the spotlight from Cape Town in 2018 to Lord’s in 2023, accusing a Marylebone Cricket Club member of racially abusing him during the Ashes. Times Now reported that in his autobiography Sabr the former Australia batter recounts being insulted with a derogatory racial remark in the Lord’s Long Room; News18, citing ANI, carried the same allegation from Sydney on Monday.

The allegation arrives while cricket’s Sandpapergate is being relitigated through the same book. The Guardian reported that Khawaja’s book tour has been ‘adjusted’ amid the ball-tampering claims. Cricket Australia confirmed it will not reopen the 2018 investigation, with chief executive Todd Greenberg telling News18 he saw no ‘compelling reason’ to do so after Khawaja alleged the whole South Africa touring party knew about the plan.

Khawaja’s Lord’s racial-abuse claim lands

The Lord’s claim adds a new front to the Sabr controversy. The Hindu reported an excerpt published on Saturday in which Khawaja disputed the findings of the 2018 probe and said ball-tampering discussions took place during Australia’s tour of South Africa. He told the Times of India he had not thrown anyone under the bus.

Earlier reporting on the book has been equally direct. Cricinfo carried Khawaja’s description of the Port Elizabeth sandpapering as ‘ridiculous’, while BBC framed the affair as a stench Cricket Australia cannot shake. India Today said that eight years after Cape Town he challenged Australia’s long-standing account and claimed the entire touring party knew; India TV News reported his claim that Australia used sandpaper across two Tests against South Africa in 2018.

Book tour shifted as Sandpapergate probes

The Guardian’s account had Khawaja bunker down as the book tour was adjusted amid the ball-tampering claims. The adjustment came after the memoir’s excerpts began contradicting the settled public account of the 2018 tour. India Today said Khawaja blew the episode open again by claiming the entire Australia team was involved, not just the trio at the centre of the original Cape Town case.

Times Now also reported that Cricket Australia confirmed the ball-tampering investigation will stay closed despite the fresh revelations. The practical effect is that Khawaja’s team-knew claim now stands against the original Cape Town finding without a fresh hearing.

Warner and Greenberg take opposite lines

David Warner, the former Australia cricketer, backed the memoir on Wednesday. Outlook India reported Warner calling the Sabr account ‘100 per cent accurate’ and saying lies will eventually come out. Greenberg made the opposite institutional call on Tuesday, telling News18 he did not see any compelling reason for a new investigation.

Lehmann rejects the team-knew claim

Darren Lehmann, Australia’s coach in that era, rejected the claim that the team knew about the plan. In comments carried by Outlook India, Lehmann also called ball-tampering a big part of cricket while denying the specific accusation in Sabr. Greenberg gave no review date because he does not consider one necessary; the Sabr claims against the original Cape Town account will not get a fresh Cricket Australia hearing.