Pat Cummins refutes claims of participation in 2018 sandpaper ball‑tampering plot

Australia captain Pat Cummins on Friday in Sydney denied any role in the 2018 sandpaper ball‑tampering incident after former teammate Usman Khawaja alleged the whole team knew about it in his new autobiography, Al Jazeera reported.

What did Cummins say about Khawaja’s allegations?

He called the claims “utter nonsense” and insisted that Khawaja was “100 percent wrong” in saying the squad knew sandpaper was being taken onto the field, Al Jazeera said. Cummins added that there was no “master plan” or team meeting about illegal methods and that he had consistently maintained this stance for eight years.

Who else has denied involvement in the scandal?

Al Jazeera noted that former Australian bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon publicly denied any knowledge in a 2021 statement, and that former head coach Darren Lehmann and ex‑batting coach Graeme Hick also said they were unaware of the plot.

How did Cummins respond to other accusations in the book?

He rejected Khawaja’s suggestion that skin colour influences captaincy, calling the notion “the most serious” thing he had read, Al Jazeera reported. Cummins said he had been advised that some statements might be defamatory but he would not take legal action, emphasizing that eight years have passed and the team is moving on.