# Mitchell Starc Rejects Khawaja's Claims on 2018 Ball-Tampering Scandal Starc maintains bowlers were unaware of the sandpaper plot during Cape Town Test. - **Source:** [ABC Australia – Science](https://www.abc.net.au/news/science) - **Published:** 2026-11-10 - **Topic:** [sports](https://brifing.si/c/sports) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/67ea373c-921d-415c-b266-f757e1c601d7 ## Starc Disputes Khawaja's Claims Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has publicly rejected assertions made by teammate Usman Khawaja regarding the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Khawaja’s new book, Sabr, alleges that the plot to use sandpaper at the Cape Town Test was common knowledge among the entire squad, a claim Starc firmly denies as inaccurate regarding his own personal awareness. ## The 2018 Cape Town Incident The 2018 scandal involved David Warner, Steve Smith, and Cameron Bancroft, who were the only players officially punished for the incident. While Khawaja suggests the plan was widely known across the team, Starc maintains that he and other bowlers only became aware of the tampering when images appeared on the stadium's big screen. ## Consistency of Starc's Stance Starc emphasized that his recollection of the events remains unchanged since he and fellow bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon issued a joint statement in 2021. That statement explicitly denied any prior knowledge of foreign substances being taken onto the field to alter the condition of the ball during the match. ## Warner Supports Khawaja's Account The controversy deepened as David Warner publicly backed Usman Khawaja’s claims, stating that the revelations in the book were one hundred percent accurate. This public support from a central figure in the original scandal creates a direct conflict between the accounts provided by different members of the Australian cricket team from that era. ## Cricket Australia's Official Position Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg confirmed that there are currently no plans to reopen the investigation into the 2018 events. Despite acknowledging that Khawaja’s book presents details contradicting previous testimonies, the organization maintains it is comfortable with the outcomes of the original investigation conducted eight years ago following the incident. ## Differing Versions of Truth Starc acknowledged that there are clearly differing opinions and versions of the events from different people involved. He noted that the team was heavily grilled during the initial investigation process and maintains that his own testimony has remained consistent throughout the years, despite the new claims emerging from Khawaja's recent literary release. ## The Role of the Bowlers While refusing to speak on behalf of the entire bowling unit, Starc reiterated his personal position that he was unaware of any tampering plans. He specifically addressed claims regarding the Test match preceding Cape Town, stating he had no knowledge of sandpaper being used in any other matches during that specific tour. ## Historical Context of Scandal The 2018 ball-tampering incident remains one of the most significant controversies in modern Australian cricket history. It led to lengthy suspensions for key players and a massive cultural review of the team's conduct. The resurfacing of these claims highlights the lingering tensions and unresolved questions surrounding the team's internal knowledge at the time. ## Impact on Team Dynamics The public disagreement between current and former teammates regarding the scandal threatens to revive scrutiny of the team’s internal culture. As players like Starc and Warner offer conflicting narratives, the debate shifts from the initial on-field actions to the integrity of the subsequent investigations and the transparency of the players involved back then. ## Investigation Closure Status Cricket Australia has urged players to come forward if they have new information, noting that this opportunity has existed for eight years. However, the governing body currently views the matter as settled. They are relying on the information gathered during the initial 2018 inquiry, despite the new, contradictory claims presented by Usman Khawaja. ## Media and Public Reaction The release of Sabr has sparked significant media attention, forcing current players to address the past during the lead-up to the new season. Starc’s comments at the Fox Cricket season launch demonstrate the difficulty the team faces in moving past the 2018 incident while conflicting accounts continue to be published by former colleagues. ## Future Implications for Cricket This ongoing dispute underscores the difficulty of establishing a singular truth in complex sporting scandals. As long as key participants maintain contradictory versions of events, the 2018 sandpaper incident will likely remain a point of contention. The sport must now balance the desire for historical accuracy against the need to maintain team stability. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-10/mitchell-starc-responds-to-usman-khawaja-sandpaper-claims/107369870 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._