Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has questioned Pat Cummins’ claim that he had no knowledge of Australia’s ball-tampering plan during the infamous 2018 Cape Town Test. Akram’s comments come amid renewed debate surrounding the Sandpapergate scandal after former Australian batter Usman Khawaja made fresh allegations in his autobiography, Sabr. Khawaja claimed that the entire Australian team was aware of the use of sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball.
While former vice-captain David Warner, who was among the three players punished for the incident, backed Khawaja’s account, Cummins strongly rejected the allegations. Wasim Akram, widely regarded as one of the finest exponents of reverse swing, believes an experienced fast bowler would be capable of recognising unusual marks on a cricket ball. He explained that ordinary scratches caused by the ball hitting the ground look different from those made using sandpaper.
Speaking in a video shared on social media, Wasim Akram said he had heard Cummins’ explanation but remained doubtful about how a bowler could miss such a noticeable difference. “I saw Pat Cummins, who’s a very close friend of mine, a great cricketer and one of the top leaders in world cricket, saying that he didn’t know. So probably the team didn’t know at the time what was happening, in my opinion. It’s my opinion. It can be right or wrong,” Akram said.
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He further explained that bowlers regularly inspect the ball and take responsibility for maintaining one side to generate reverse swing.
“But as a bowler, when the cricket ball comes into my hand, whether it’s in the fifth over, the 10th over or the 50th over, you look after the ball and shine one side. If it’s a dry day and a dry square, you can throw it into the ground once and get a slight scratch. But a sandpaper scratch is totally different from a one-bounce scratch,” he added.
Akram also encouraged cricket fans to understand the difference by comparing the marks produced by rubbing sandpaper against a semi-new cricket ball. However, he clarified that his comments should not be viewed as support for either side in the ongoing dispute.
The former Pakistan pacer also questioned how Cummins and the other Australian bowlers could have remained unaware of the plan. He referred to a joint statement issued by the bowlers in 2021, in which they denied having any knowledge of the ball-tampering operation.
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Cummins, meanwhile, has accused Khawaja of being careless with the reputations of his former teammates, arguing that the allegations have affected players and their families. The Australia captain has maintained that he knew nothing about the plan and has consistently denied any involvement over the past eight years.
Wasim Akram expressed hope that the renewed Sandpapergate controversy would eventually be resolved, bringing clarity to an incident that continues to divide Australian cricket.
