Wasim Akram, the former Pakistan captain, on Saturday reacted to the ongoing sandpapergate row, saying experienced bowlers would always know when something is going on with the ball.
He added that, in his opinion, the bowlers would be able to immediately make out when a foreign substance is being used, as the “sandpaper scratches” are completely different.
The 60-year-old’s remarks came a day after Pat Cummins’ 68-minute-long press conference, where the Australian captain denied all the claims made by Usman Khawaja, saying he didn’t know that there was a plan hatched to tamper with the ball using sandpaper.
Akram, regarded as one of the finest-ever pacers to play the sport, described Cummins as a “close friend.” Nowhere did he dismiss the claims made by the Australian Test and ODI captain, only stating what he thought of the matter.
“I saw Pat Cummins, who’s a very close friend of mine, a great cricketer, one of the top leaders in world cricket, the way he leads his team from the front, and he said he didn’t know,” Akram said in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter).
“It’s my opinion, and it can be right or wrong, but as a bowler, when the cricket ball comes in my hand, either it’s the fifth over, either it’s in the 10th over, either it’s in the 50th over – the old ball – where you look after the ball, you shine the one side if it’s a dry day, a dry square, you one-bounce throw, you get it scratched a bit, but the sandpaper scratch is totally different than the one-bounce scratch,” he added.
Not taking sides
The former Pakistan pacer, who was a part of the 1992 World Cup-winning team, added that he isn’t taking anyone’s side and is only narrating the story how he sees it.
“As a cricket lover, if you want to check, grab a semi-new cricket ball, grab sandpaper, and rub it in; you know the scratches are totally different. Again, as I said, I’m not taking anybody’s side. Australians are known and famous for their straightforwardness, hardness on the field, off the field, and, most importantly, honesty,” said Akram.
“The whole nation has been under stress. Eight years ago and back to it again. I hope things get sorted out. This is my take as a bowler. As an experienced bowler, when I look at the ball, I will know straightaway something is not right,” added Akram.
In 2018, David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were found guilty of ball tampering and Cricket Australia punished them for the same. The bowling group – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon – in 2021, denied any knowledge of sandpaper being used on the field, saying they only came to know of it when the cameras showed the visuals.
The controversy gained steam earlier this year with the release of Khawaja’s autobiography, where he claimed the entire team was privy to the plan.
The claim has since been denied by both Cummins and Starc, while Warner has supported the former Australian opener.