Khawaja book tour to continue as publisher denies cancellation

Usman Khawaja’s publisher says the former Australia batter’s autobiography tour is continuing, despite reports that he had withdrawn from several promotional appearances following an interview about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. According to BBC Sport, Penguin told ABC that this week’s schedule had been adjusted but denied that the tour had been cancelled.

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The clarification followed Australian media reports about changes to Khawaja’s engagements after he spoke to ABC. During that interview, he declined to identify which Australia players knew about ball tampering during the Test series in South Africa. He said his aim was to encourage the team to accept responsibility collectively, rather than direct accusations at particular former colleagues.

The scandal resulted in bans for captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and batter Cameron Bancroft. A Cricket Australia investigation found that the team’s bowlers did not know about the tampering. Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc, who formed Australia’s attack in the third Test, also issued a joint statement in 2021 denying knowledge that a foreign substance had been brought onto the field.

Khawaja told ABC that he had removed names and other details while editing his account. He described the book as his own version of events and said he wanted to support the three players who had borne the consequences of the scandal. When asked specifically whether Cummins knew about the tampering, he declined to answer. That refusal did not identify any additional player as having knowledge of the incident.

Warner has endorsed the accuracy of Khawaja’s account, BBC Sport reported. Khawaja, however, declined to interpret Warner’s comments or speak for him. He said he hoped others would discuss what happened honestly, while stressing that he was not seeking to compel anyone to come forward. He also pointed to his friendships with former team-mates as he explained his call for shared accountability.

England batter Joe Root was also questioned about the issue before his side’s first one-day international against Australia on Friday. Root declined to speculate and, when asked whether ball tampering had been widespread in international cricket at the time, said that did not reflect his own experience. Penguin’s statement, meanwhile, leaves the promotional tour going ahead with changes to its schedule.