Mitchell Starc Says He Was Unaware of Sandpapergate Plot

Published 2026-11-10

Former Australian cricketer Mitchell Starc has once again been asked about Sandpapergate, the ball-tampering scandal that shook Australian cricket in 2018. Starc says he did not know about the plot before it was made public.

The scandal took place during a Test match against South Africa in Cape Town in March 2018. Cameron Bancroft was caught on television using sandpaper to change the condition of the ball. The incident led to major punishments for several players. Steve Smith and David Warner were banned from international cricket, and Bancroft also received a suspension. The affair caused a serious crisis for the sport in Australia and damaged the reputation of the national team.

In his recent comments, Starc said that he was not aware of what was happening at the time. He also said he was disappointed by the events, which he believes did great harm to the game and to the trust that fans had in the team. Starc, who was a key member of the bowling attack in that period, has been asked about his knowledge of the plan many times since then.

The Sandpapergate affair remains one of the biggest controversies in Australian sporting history. Even years later, it continues to attract attention from fans, former players and the media. Starc's latest remarks show that questions about the scandal have not fully gone away, and that many people still want to understand exactly what happened and who knew about it.

Sources: Nine.com.au

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