David Warner has publicly defended Usman Khawaja and accused Australian Test captain Pat Cummins of throwing him "under the bus" over renewed controversy surrounding the 2018 ball-tampering saga.
Speaking to Fox Cricket ahead of Australia's first ODI against England in Perth, Warner affirmed that the claims made in Khawaja's recently released autobiography regarding the 'Sandpapergate' controversy are true.
In his book, Khawaja asserted that the entire Australian team was aware of the ball-tampering plot during the 2018 tour of South Africa, contradicting Cricket Australia's original 2018 investigation that pinned blame strictly on Steve Smith, Warner, and Cameron Bancroft.
Khawaja further claimed that sandpaper was used to alter the condition of the ball prior to the infamous Cape Town Test.
During a 70-minute press conference in Sydney, Cummins on Friday (November 13) refuted Khawaja's account as "complete and utter nonsense", maintaining that the bowlers and wider team did not know sandpaper was going out onto the field. He also accused the southpaw of being "casual and flippant" toward the lives of those impacted by the scandal.
However, Warner hit back at Cummins, reiterating his full support behind Khawaja's explosive revelations. The former Australia opener noted that he, Steve Smith, and Cameron Bancroft have faced daily consequences and public abuse since receiving bans from Cricket Australia.
"I still stick by Uzzy and what he's written in that book, because it is the truth, and I really, really support him," Warner said.
"I actually feel for him at the moment. I actually feel that today, the captain threw Uzzy under the bus, and I'm very, very disappointed about that.
"All three of us have paid a big price in this thing. I hadn't spoken about it in eight years, but at the end of the day, we've got to live with these consequences daily. We've been served a life punishment," he added.
Notably, Smith and Warner had received 12-month bans from Cricket Australia, while Bancroft was suspended for nine months after being caught using sandpaper on the ball during the 2018 Newlands Test.
Warner, who was Test vice-captain at the time, was also handed an additional penalty of being banned from all leadership positions in international and Australian domestic cricket for life. That ban was lifted by Cricket Australia in October 2024, which enabled him to captain Sydney Thunder in the BBL.
"When other people talk about how they've been affected by it, there's nothing worse for me, Steve and Cam, who have to walk out there every day and we cop abuse.
"Yes, we accepted it, but at the end of the day, my wife and I paid the greatest price. We lost a baby during that time. That's why it really hurts me the most until the truth is accepted," Warner stated.
