‘I’ll know straight away...’: Wasim Akram challenges Cummins' sandpapergate claims

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has questioned Pat Cummins’ claim that he was unaware of the ball-tampering incident during the 2018 Cape Town Test. Akram believes an experienced bowler would quickly notice if sandpaper had been used on the ball.

The sandpapergate controversy has returned to the headlines after Usman Khawaja claimed in his book, Sabr, that the entire Australian team knew about the plan to use sandpaper. While David Warner has also supported Khawaja but Cummins has strongly denied the allegations.

Akram, known for his expertise in reverse swing, explained that scratches caused by sandpaper look different from those made during normal ball maintenance.

The former Pakistan captain said he was surprised by Cummins’ statement, considering he was part of the bowling attack during the 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.

He also suggested that fans could check the difference themselves by rubbing sandpaper on a semi-new cricket 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.

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Akram clarified that he was not supporting either side but stressed that honesty was an important part of Australia’s cricketing identity.

“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.

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He further maintained that an experienced bowler would immediately notice unusual marks on 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.

Meanwhile, Cummins has rejected Khawaja’s claims and said that the Australian team did not know sandpaper was being used.

“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.

He also denied being involved in planning the incident, calling the allegations “complete and utter nonsense”.

With Warner backing Khawaja and questions being raised by Akram, the controversy surrounding the 2018 scandal continues to make headlines.