‘I’ll know straight away’: Wasim Akram questions Pat Cummins’ Sandpapergate defence
Akram questions Cummins' claim: 'I'll know straight away' Akram said he was surprised by Cummins' statement, given his role as a bowler during the Cape Town Test.
Key points
- "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.
- With Warner continuing to support Khawaja, former Australia captain Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft also part of the original sanctions, and questions now being raised by Akram, the controversy sparked by Khawaja's revelations looks far from over.
- Akram, one of the finest exponents of reverse swing, weighed in on the debate, explaining why the scratches caused by sandpaper would be noticeably different from the marks produced through conventional ball maintenance.
Pakistan legend Wasim Akram has questioned Pat Cummins' claim that he had no knowledge of the ball-tampering incident during the infamous 2018 Cape Town Test, arguing that an experienced bowler would immediately recognise if sandpaper had been used on the ball.
Additional details
- The Sandpapergate controversy has returned to the spotlight following Usman Khawaja's explosive claims in his book, Sabr, that the entire Australian team knew about the plan to use sandpaper.
- Cummins calls Khawaja's allegations 'complete and utter nonsense' Cummins has firmly rejected Khawaja's suggestion that the entire Australian side knew about the sandpaper plan.
- "And as a cricket lover, if you want to check, grab a semi-new cricket ball, grab a piece of sandpaper, and rub it in; you know, the scratches are totally different," he said.
- Akram clarified that he was not taking sides in the dispute but stressed that honesty was central to Australia's cricketing reputation.
- And I think that's what the whole nation has been, you know, under stress a bit, obviously, eight years ago and back to it again.
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