Usman Khawaja has pulled out of television and radio interviews to promote his controversial book after being grilled by Sarah Ferguson on the ABC’s 7.30 program, during which he failed to answer key questions about Sandpapergate.
asserted
he → pull → Sandpapergate
Following the bruising TV interview on Tuesday night, Khawaja has informed his publisher, Penguin, that he will no longer participate in television or radio appearances as part of the publicity campaign for his book, Sabr.
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he → follow → book
While Khawaja is still expected to appear on podcasts, it would appear he is reluctant to face further questioning about who knew what during Australia’s infamous 2018 Test tour of South Africa.
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who → expect → Africa
Penguin was contacted for comment.
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Penguin → contact → comment
As a former Test batsman, Khawaja faced some of the world’s most fearsome fast bowlers during his cricketing career for Australia.
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Khawaja → face → Australia
But putting the pads on to face Ferguson evening proved a different challenge altogether.
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putting → put → evening
On the day his controversial book was released, Khawaja spent much of his interview ducking, weaving and leaving questions unanswered about who knew what during that tour eight years ago.
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who → release → tour
His body language suggested a man weighed down by the fallout.
uncertain
language → suggest → fallout
Relationships with former teammates have been strained, perhaps irreparably, after Khawaja tipped a bucket on numerous figures in Australian cricket, including ex-teammates.
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Khawaja → strain → teammates
For a man on a publicity blitz, Khawaja appeared remarkably reluctant to discuss some of his book’s most explosive claims.
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Khawaja → appear → claims
Central to the controversy is his claim that more players knew about ball tampering tactics being used to illegally alter the condition of the ball, not only during the third Test in Cape Town, where the scandal erupted, but in the preceding match in Port Elizabeth.
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scandal → know → Elizabeth
Khawaja insists he has not pointed the finger at anyone in particular.
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he → insist → anyone
Yet by calling on the team to accept collective responsibility, while refusing to identify individuals, he has effectively implicated everyone.
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he → call → everyone
Ferguson took the new ball with aplomb.
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Ferguson → take → aplomb
“Dave Warner has come out and backed your account of the ball tampering scandal in South Africa,” Ferguson said.
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Ferguson → come → Africa
“In doing so, he said, ‘lies will eventually get out’.
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lies → do → ?
What lies is he talking about?”
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he → talk → lies
“I’m not going speak on behalf of Davey,” Khawaja said.
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Khawaja → go → Davey
“I’ve tried my best to tell my story in an open and safe environment.
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I → try → environment
There’s no easy way to do it, but I mean, I’m not here to inflame the situation any more.
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I → ’ → situation
I was here to tell my truth, what I saw, what I felt, and to stick with those three guys [Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft] that were made out to be the only people who have taken it.
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who → tell → it
I wanted that to be shown.”
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that → want → ?
That horse, of course, has bolted.
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horse → bolt → course
Ferguson asked whether a 2021 statement by Australia’s four bowlers – Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon – denying knowledge of sandpaper being taken onto the field in Cape Town was incorrect.
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statement → ask → Town
In his book, Khawaja says he was “pissed off” by their joint stance.
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he → say → stance
Khawaja sidestepped the question.
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Khawaja → sidestep → question
“I’ll say again, I’ve given my statement about what happened the game before,” he said.
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he → say → statement
“I was very open and honest to what I saw and what conversations I had.
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I → see → conversations
“Sometimes I’m very specific on things and sometimes I’m a bit vague on things and I do it on purpose because I’m trying to tell a story.”
That admission was revealing.
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admission → ’m → story
Yes, Khawaja has been deliberately vague about the identities of those involved.
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Khawaja → involve → those
There may be legal reasons for that caution, but it leaves those who have denied knowledge of the plot facing questions they cannot definitively answer without Khawaja explaining precisely what he alleges.
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he → leave → what
Ferguson pressed him on whether the four bowlers were involved in conversations about ball tampering.
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bowlers → press → tampering
“I’m just not going …
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I → go → ?
I’m not going to entertain that,” Khawaja said.
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Khawaja → go → that
He complained about sensationalised coverage over the weekend and insisted his book and social media statements spoke for themselves.
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book → complain → themselves
“I’m not going to really speak on any more of it at this moment,” Khawaja told Ferguson.
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Khawaja → go → Ferguson
Therein lies the problem.
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problem → lie → ?
Why lob a grenade into Australian cricket, question the established account of one of the country’s greatest sporting scandals, and then refuse to explain who knew what?
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who → lob → what
Ferguson wasn’t letting up.
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Ferguson → let → ?
“You say you want to take the responsibility away from being landed on just those three people,” she said.
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she → say → people
…and 47 more, not listed.
The Aporia
