Sri Lanka Cricket suspends Danushka Gunathilaka after his arrest in Australia on rape charges

PTI

Colombo, November 7

The Sri Lankan cricket board on Monday suspended national team player Danushka Gunathilaka from all forms of cricket with immediate effect after he was arrested in Australia on charges of sexual assault during the country’s campaign in the T20 World Cup there.

The 31-year-old Gunathilaka was arrested in Sydney in the wee hours of Sunday following an investigation into alleged sexual assault of a woman on November 2.

“The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) decided to suspend national player Danushka Gunathilaka from all forms of cricket with immediate effect and will not consider him for any selection after being informed that Gunathilaka was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a woman in Australia,” the Board said in a statement.

“Furthermore, Sri Lanka Cricket will take necessary steps to promptly carry out an inquiry into the alleged offence, and, upon conclusion of the aforementioned court case in Australia, steps will be taken to penalise the said player, if found guilty.”

The SLC said it adopts a ‘zero tolerance’ policy for such conduct by a player and will provide all the required support to the Australian law enforcement authorities to carry out an impartial inquiry.

The Sri Lankan team had left Australia without Gunathilaka after being eliminated from the T20 World Cup on Saturday.

Gunathilaka was denied bail after the hearing at a local court in Sydney on Monday. He attended the hearing via a video link in Downing Centre Local Court from Surry Hills cells.

According to a report in the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’, Gunathilaka was handcuffed and wearing a grey T-shirt, blue jeans and flip flops during his virtual attendance at the hearing.

His lawyer Ananda Amaranath made a bail application during the “closed court” hearing and magistrate Robert Williams refused bail, the report said.

“Certainly, we are considering an application to the Supreme Court and that will be done as soon as possible,” Amaranth was quoted as saying in the report.

“He’ll be disappointed, clearly.”

The left-handed batter played against Namibia in the first round match of the ongoing showpiece and was out for a duck. Later, he was ruled out of the tournament due to an injury even as the team qualified for the Super 12 stage. The Lankan team finished fourth in Group 1.

According to local media reports, Gunathilaka and the woman were in touch for a number of days after connecting via an online dating app. The arrest was made from a Sydney hotel hours before the Sri Lankan team left Australia.