Lahore (Sports Desk): Former Pakistan cricket captain and legendary swing bowler Wasim Akram has broken his silence over Australia's ball-tampering scandal, saying an experienced bowler can tell by examining a ball whether its scuff marks occurred naturally or resulted from deliberate tampering.
In a video statement, Wasim Akram said Australian captain Pat Cummins maintained that he was not involved in the use of sandpaper and had no knowledge of it. Akram said he had been hearing about the controversy since last week and that his friend Pat Cummins had also expressed ignorance of the incident. He added that some players in the team might not have known the truth at the time, but this was his personal opinion, which could be right or wrong.
The former fast bowler explained that one side of a cricket ball naturally develops scratches due to friction and contact with the pitch. However, marks caused by sandpaper are entirely different. According to him, an experienced bowler can immediately determine upon holding a ball whether its surface has been illegally tampered with. He expressed hope that the controversy would be resolved soon.
It is worth recalling that in March 2018, during a Test match between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town, Australian player Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera attempting to alter the ball's surface using sandpaper.
Following the incident, Cricket Australia imposed one-year bans on then-captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner, while Bancroft received a nine-month suspension.
Recently, former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja stated in his book that more players involved in the matter should also accept collective responsibility.