Australian skipper Pat Cummins has revealed that his wife Becky was very frustrated, animated and unhappy with Usman Khawaja’s allegations from the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in the Newlands Test.
Asked about the viral footage between him and his wife, Cummins, while speaking to reporters at Cricket Central in Sydney, said that he and Becky were having an animated discussion about Khawaja’s allegations. He added Becky’s reaction was that her frustration was directed at Khawaja rather than him.
“It’s half very comical. Becky wears her heart on her sleeve. And half ridiculous. We are here talking about something that was dealt with eight-and-a-half years ago. Now, I am walking my daughter in her nappies on the front (of my house) and I have got cameras chasing me and my family. For me that’s a bit ridiculous,” Cummins said.
“But, while we are on the topic because we think it was funny, we weren’t having a spat. Becky was very frustrated and animated and really unhappy with Usman,” Cummins added.
“She just said, ‘Show your emotion. There are a lot of people who are hurting’. She was like, ‘Be honest’ and tell the details. I have been with Becky even before that tour. She has been with me,” he said.
Further, Cummins called Khawaja’s statements 100% wrong and utter nonsense. Cummins strongly disagreed with Khawaja’s claim that everyone in the Australian team knew sandpaper was being taken onto the field.
“I have taken some time this week to respond to Usman’s allegations. Have been trying to understand what those allegations have been; that’s why it has taken me a few days (to respond). When he said we all knew, and if he means the sandpaper going out on the field, then he is 100% wrong,” Cummins said.
“I have said that consistently for the last eight years, and I didn’t know that was happening. But Usman is saying things that are far more serious than that; he says others and I, as architects, were behind the scheme to tamper with the ball using sandpaper. That’s complete and utter nonsense. I was utterly shocked this week when it came to my notice that Khawaja had admitted that he told Cam (Cameron Bancroft) to be careful when using sandpaper,” he added.
