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. 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. With David Warner backing Khawaja and Cummins strongly rejecting the allegations, the row shows little sign of dying down. 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.
Akram said he was surprised by Cummins' statement, given his role as a bowler during the Cape Town Test. "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.
"But as a bowler, when the cricket ball comes in my hand, either it's the fifth over, either it's in the 10th over, or either it's in the 50th over, the old ball, where you look after the ball, you shine the one side; if it's a dry day, dry square, you one bounce throw, you get scratch a bit. But the sandpaper scratch is totally different from the one-bounce scratch," Akram said in a video posted on social media. The former Pakistan captain challenged cricket fans to examine the difference themselves by rubbing sandpaper on a semi-new ball. "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. "So again, as I said, I'm not taking anybody's sides. And Australians are known and famous for their straightforwardness, hardness on the field, off the field, and most importantly, honesty. 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. I hope things get sorted out," he added. He reiterated his belief that an experienced bowler would recognise unusual damage to the ball. "This is my take on this issue: as a bowler, especially an experienced bowler, I'll have a look at the ball, and I'll know straight away something is not right," he concluded.
Cummins has firmly rejected Khawaja's suggestion that the entire Australian side knew about the sandpaper plan. "When he says we all knew, if by that he means that we knew sandpaper was going out on the field, he's 100% wrong," Cummins said. "I've said that consistently for the last eight years, I did not know that was happening. But I think Usman actually says things that are actually far more serious than that. He says that I and others were architects of a scheme to ball-tamper with sandpaper. That's complete and utter nonsense. I was genuinely shocked this week when I found out that Usman admitted that he told Cam (Bancroft) to be careful when using sandpaper," he added. 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.
