Chief executive Todd Greenberg says the body remains comfortable with its 2018 findings after considering Usman Khawaja’s allegations, and sees no compelling reason for another inquiry.
Cricket Australia will not reopen its 2018 ball-tampering investigation following allegations by former Australian batter Usman Khawaja, chief executive Todd Greenberg said on SEN radio on 10 November.
The original investigation found that only captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and batter Cameron Bancroft knew of the plan. Cricket Australia suspended the three and cleared the other players of wrongdoing. Bancroft had been caught on camera tampering with the ball during the Test match in Cape Town.
Greenberg said the body remained comfortable with that outcome after considering Khawaja’s account. He said its details conflicted with others’ recollections and he did not think another inquiry would produce an agreed account or a useful outcome.
In his book Sabr, Khawaja alleges that the entire Australian Test team knew about the ball-tampering and that the team began using sandpaper on the ball in the Test before Cape Town. ABC said the book was due for release on 10 November 2026. Khawaja also says his calls for the players to take collective responsibility at the time were rejected.
Warner, who received a 12-month suspension from international and domestic cricket, publicly backed Khawaja’s account on Monday. He called the investigation rushed and botched, questioning its thoroughness because Khawaja had not been interviewed.
After Bancroft gave an interview to the Guardian in 2021, Pat Cummins and his fellow Cape Town bowlers said they had not known about the ball-tampering. Greenberg was then chief executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association; he took his current role in 2025.
Responding to suggestions that he raised the allegations to sell books, Khawaja said his account was not about commercial gain. He said his publisher and manager did not know he intended to revisit the events when he signed his book deal in 2023.
Aryna Sabalenka beat Karolina Muchova 7–6 (7–2), 7–5 and Mirra Andreeva defeated Elina Svitolina 6–4, 6–0 on 9 November, giving both winners an early advantage in Group 2.
Greenberg said players had been encouraged to provide information at the time and in the years since, and that they could still come forward.
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