# 'Utter nonsense': Pat Cummins breaks silence on Usman Khawaja's 2018 sandpaper scandal claims > HelixNews · Web page: https://helixnews.one/story/2916803 · All pages for agents: https://helixnews.one/llms.txt 7 outlets covering · First listed: Yahoo Sports, Nov 13, 2026, 12:26 AM · Read it: Australia captain Pat Cummins has strongly denied claims made by Usman Khawaja regarding the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Cummins asserted that he did not know about the plan and has consistently maintained that stance over the years. Khawaja's autobiography brought renewed attention to the incident, prompting severe reactions from Cummins. Despite the allegations, Cummins has decided against taking legal action and hopes to move on from this controversy. ## Who's covering it In the order they published: - Nov 12, 2026, 1:00 AM: [Cummins to address Khawaja claims on Friday]() — Sky Sports (Sports, United Kingdom) Australia captain Pat Cummins has called a press conference for Friday to have his say on 'Sandpapergate' after former team-mate Usman Khawaja's explosive claims that the entire dressing room knew about the ball-tampering scheme that took place on the tour of South Africa in 2018. - Nov 12, 2026, 4:47 PM: [Cummins: Khawaja's allegations 'complete and utter nonsense']() — ESPNcricinfo (Sports) Australia captain says Khawaja's suggestion that the entire 2018 Cape Town XI knew that sandpaper was being used on the field is '100% wrong' - Nov 12, 2026, 5:31 PM: [Australia Test captain Pat Cummins calls Khawaja's sandpapergate claims ‘complete and utter nonsense’]() — Guardian (Newspaper, United Kingdom, rated Lean left) Cummins insists he did not know of ball-tampering plot in South Africa‘No masterplan around using illegal methods,’ Cummins says‘Abrasive’, ‘arrogant’ and ‘ugly’: standout moments from the press conferencePat Cummins flatly denied Usman Khawaja’s claims that the entire Australian cricket team was implicated in the 2018 sandpaper scandal, saying at a press conference in Sydney the allegations were “complete and utter nonsense”and “100% wrong”.The Test captain’s defiant appearance on Friday morning prompted David Warner to later accuse Cummins of throwing Khawaja under the bus as the feud… - Nov 12, 2026, 5:47 PM: ['Wrong' and 'nonsense' - Cummins on Khawaja sandpaper claims]() — BBC Sport (Public broadcaster, United Kingdom) Australia captain Pat Cummins hits back at former team-mate Usman Khawaja’s claims over the sandpaper scandal, calling them “100% wrong” and “utter nonsense”. - Nov 12, 2026, 6:21 PM: [Pat Cummins hits out at Usman Khawaja’s Sandpapergate claims]() — Sydney Morning Herald (Newspaper, Australia) The Australian cricket captain says Khawaja is 100% wrong, and his ‘spat’ with his wife was over Khawaja. - Nov 12, 2026, 7:33 PM: [Sandpapergate: Pat Cummins dismisses Usman Khawaja's claims as '100 per cent wrong' and 'nonsense']() — The Athletic (Sports, United States) An emotional Cummins spoke for 68 minutes at a press conference in Sydney and categorically denied claims made in Khawaja's autobiography - Nov 13, 2026, 12:26 AM: ['Utter nonsense': Pat Cummins breaks silence on Usman Khawaja's 2018 sandpaper scandal claims]() — Yahoo Sports (Sports, United States) Australia captain Pat Cummins has strongly denied claims made by Usman Khawaja regarding the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Cummins asserted that he did not know about the plan and has consistently maintained that stance over the years. Khawaja's autobiography brought renewed attention to the incident, prompting severe reactions from Cummins. Despite the allegations, Cummins has decided against taking legal action and hopes to move on from this controversy.