What is in Usman Khawaja's book Sabr and what did he actually say about Sandpapergate?
Much has been written and said about Usman Khawaja's new book — but what's actually in the pages of Sabr?
In his book "Sabr," Usman Khawaja discussed the controversial incident known as "Sandpapergate," which involved ball tampering during a Test match in South Africa in 2018. Khawaja explained that he used the term "all of us" when referring to the involvement of the team in the ball tampering scheme, leaving the meaning open to interpretation.
He clarified that he didn't point fingers at any individuals, but rather focused on taking responsibility as a team. The book details the events leading up to the ball tampering, including a conversation with the coaching staff about reversing the ball's swing and a subsequent experiment using sandpaper on the ball. Khawaja recounted how the plan was executed in the third Test match of the series, resulting in Australia gaining a significant advantage by reversing the ball's swing.
However, despite their success, Australia ultimately lost the Test match. Khawaja emphasized the team's collective responsibility for the incident and the need for accountability, as expressed during a subsequent team meeting.
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