On today's chart 60K views since yesterday

Usman Khawaja won't answer the Cummins question on 7.30

Sarah Ferguson presses for specifics as Khawaja argues that Sandpapergate accountability should have extended across the Australian squad.

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ABC News In-depth Story of November 11, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of the most watched videos since yesterday, with 59,920 views.

Usman Khawaja refuses to answer Sandpapergate question about Pat Cummins | 7.30

Things we can learn from the video

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0:19Khawaja says his book seeks team accountability rather than individual finger-pointing over the Cape Town scandal.
3:41Ferguson asks specifically about Cummins's prior knowledge; Khawaja refuses to answer beyond what he has written.
5:54Khawaja says he is sharing his account, not calling for another Cricket Australia investigation.
7:05He argues that the three players' bans were inappropriate and responsibility should have been shared across the squad.
9:16Asked about captaincy, Khawaja reflects on racial stereotypes he experienced and praises Tim Paine.
10:41He recalls Cummins calling him back into the 2022 Ashes celebrations as a moment of belonging.

Usman Khawaja wants to discuss collective responsibility for Sandpapergate. Sarah Ferguson wants a specific answer about Pat Cummins.

That distinction drives their 7.30 interview, which has drawn about 60,000 views in its first 22 hours on ABC News In-depth. Asked whether Cummins had prior knowledge of the sandpaper use, Khawaja replies: "I'm not going to answer that. I've written what I've written in my book."

The refusal leaves Ferguson's question unanswered. Khawaja's argument is broader: his memoir, Sabr, sets out his account of the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal, and he believes the response placed individual blame ahead of shared squad responsibility.

"My main objective here is always to try to take accountability as a team," he says. He considers the bans imposed on Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft inappropriate, and questions the thoroughness of an investigation in which, he says, he was never investigated.

But when Ferguson asks whether he wants Cricket Australia to conduct another investigation, he stops short of demanding one. "I'm not calling for anything. I'm literally sharing my version of the truth."

The conversation also moves beyond the scandal. Khawaja discusses racial stereotypes he experienced and the question of whether he was considered for the captaincy after Smith stood down. He later praises Tim Paine's captaincy.

Cummins returns to the conversation in a different light near the end: Khawaja recalls being called back into the post-match celebrations at the end of the 2022 Ashes, a moment when he felt truly embraced within Australian cricket.

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