PAK vs AUS: To Blame David Warner For The Whole Sandpapergate Scandal "Pretty Naive"- Simon Katich

David Warner was one of the three Australian players accused in the infamous “Sandpapergate Scandal” that happened in the Cape Town Test in March 2018. He along with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were the other Australian cricketers who were charged guilty of that episode.

As a result, Cricket Australia banned Smith and Warner from international cricket for 12 months while Bancroft was banned for nine months. Warner was even banned from playing in that IPL that year.

However, once the ban was over, Warner returned as a very different cricketer hungry for runs and success at the international level. He scored 647 runs in the 2019 Cricket World Cup and followed it up with 535 runs in the 2023 Cricket World Cup leading his team to their sixth World Cup title.

Speaking to a radio station named SEN Sportsday NSW, Simon Katich the former Australian cricket said that it would be wrong to blame David Warner for the entire incident.

“I think it’s hard to say ‘full respect’ because I think there is always going to be an element of the public that didn’t like what happened, and rightfully so,” Katich told SEN Sportsday NSW.

“A lot of us couldn’t believe what the Australian team resorted to. But I think to blame him entirely for that whole episode is pretty naive” he further added.

Smith and Warner both scored a lot of runs across formats since their return back to international cricket. Bancroft on the other hand, did not get many opportunities. Katich was also impressed by how Warner got himself back to playing international cricket at the highest level despite all the criticism from the Sandpapergate scandal.

“At the time, I think what he did was he kept his mouth shut after the initial apology and then got on with trying to go back out there and try to play as good as cricket as he possibly could. That wouldn’t have been easy to do. What’s done is done but for David to be able to get back to where he got to after such an enormous event like it was in Cape Town… it was significant to think that he was able to get back and play good cricket after that event” said Katich.

Australia has made a great start in David Warner’s final Test match. Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat. The Australian pacers led by their skipper Pat Cummins have not allowed Pakistan to settle and they are now on the brink of being bowled out on a below-par score at Sydney.

David Warner Requests Fans To Find His Lost Baggy Green

Warner unfortunately lost his Baggy Green cap heading into the Sydney Test during transit. He made a plea on social media to his fans about it and requested them to give it back to him.

 

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A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31)

“Inside this backpack was my Baggy Greens,” Warner said in a video posted to his social media on Tuesday afternoon. It’s sentimental to me. It’s something I’d love to have in my hands walking out there this week. If it’s the backpack you really wanted, I have a spare one here. You won’t get into trouble. Please reach out to Cricket Australia or myself via my social media. I’m happy to give this to you if you return my Baggy Green” said Waner in a video posted on his official Instagram handle.

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