Former Pakistan captain and legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram weighed in on the renewed Sandpapergate controversy on Saturday, November 14, 2026, stating that while he was not taking sides or dismissing Australian skipper Pat Cummins, an experienced bowler would immediately notice if a cricket ball had been altered with sandpaper.
Akram’s remarks came in a video shared on X a day after Cummins held a 68-minute press conference denying claims from former teammate Usman Khawaja’s autobiography that the entire Australian squad was aware of the 2018 ball-tampering plan in Cape Town.
‘Sandpaper Scratches Are Totally Different’: Akram’s Take
Calling Cummins a “close friend” and “one of the top leaders in world cricket,” the 60-year-old pace icon broke down the physical difference between natural wear-and-tear on a dry square and deliberate abrasion:
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- Natural Wear vs. Foreign Abrasion: Akram explained that whether it is the fifth, 10th, or 50th over, bowlers constantly inspect the ball while shining one side and managing scuffs from one-bounce throws on dry pitches—making sandpaper marks unmistakably distinct from natural scratches.
- Not Taking Sides: Emphasizing that he hoped Australian cricket moves past the renewed turmoil, Akram noted that Australians are renowned for their straightforwardness and honesty, while reiterating his technical view as a fast bowler: “As an experienced bowler, when I look at the ball, I will know straightaway something is not right.”
”As a cricket lover, if you want to check, grab a semi-new cricket ball, grab sandpaper, and rub it in; you know the scratches are totally different. Again, as I said, I’m not taking anybody’s side… This is my take as a bowler.”
— Wasim Akram, Former Pakistan Captain
Background of the Renewed 2018 Sandpapergate Debate
The 2018 Cape Town Test scandal originally led to Cricket Australia bans for Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft, while the bowling attack—Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon—maintained in a 2021 statement that they had no prior knowledge of the plot until television footage aired. The debate reignited earlier this year following the release of Usman Khawaja’s autobiography, which alleged wider team awareness—a claim backed by Warner, but firmly rejected by both Cummins and Starc.
