Warner Backs Khawaja’s Account of 2018 Ball-Tampering

David Warner has publicly endorsed Usman Khawaja’s account of the 2018 Cape Town ball-tampering scandal, calling it “100 per cent accurate” and questioning Cricket Australia’s investigation. Khawaja has said the whole Australian team, including players and staff, knew about the plan to alter the ball. Whether that broader account is accurate remains disputed.

In a video posted on Instagram, Warner said Khawaja had not been interviewed during what he described as a rushed and botched investigation. Warner said Khawaja was sitting next to Cameron Bancroft during the Test and questioned how the inquiry could be considered thorough if Khawaja was not interviewed. The allegation that Khawaja was excluded from interviews has not been addressed specifically in Cricket Australia’s public response.

Cricket Australia said it remained comfortable with the findings of its integrity process and had properly considered all relevant information presented to it. The organisation also said there had been an ongoing opportunity to provide relevant information. Its statement did not resolve the disagreement over who knew about the ball-tampering plan.

Khawaja’s account, published in connection with...