Turnbull hits back after Khawaja’s claims he played politics in sandpapergate

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Khawaja took aim at the former prime minister in his newly released autobiography, which has thrust the 2018 ball-tampering affair back in the limelight.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has hit back at claims by Usman Khawaja that he had used the sandpaper scandal for political gain.

Khawaja took aim at the ex-prime minister in his newly released autobiography, Sabr, which has thrust the 2018 ball-tampering affair back in the limelight.

The Australian touring party in South Africa led by Steve Smith had not comprehended the full weight of what was to come when they went to bed following the infamous third day’s play of the third Test at Newlands, where Cameron Bancroft was caught with sandpaper on the field.

“The next morning, the world had been turned upside down,” Khawaja writes in his book. “Even the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, who had no idea about cricket – and we knew this because we met him at the annual tea event with the PM at Kirribilli – had his two cents about the topic.

“I felt like he was trying to use this as political leverage on his already failing prime ministership. But it lit a fire in Australia. Because once the PM got involved, everyone was in on it.”

Turnbull, who is overseas, told this masthead on Wednesday he stood by what he said at the time.

“I’m surprised that Usman thinks the only reason this was big deal was because the prime minister said he was disappointed,” he said. “I think every Australian was disappointed. I don’t think I said anything unusual or remarkable.”

Asked whether Cricket Australia should re-open its investigation into the events of eight years ago, which it has refused to do, he replied: “I don’t want to express a view on what Cricket Australia should or should not do, eight years on and from the other end of the world.”

He added: “If indeed Steve Smith took the blame for a lot of other people who didn’t put their hand up, others who didn’t should maybe reflect on that. They should reflect on their silence, if what Khawaja says is right. I know there are some people who contest it.”

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