Sri Lanka Cricket to probe ‘various alleged incidents’ in Australia after Danushka Gunathilaka’s arrest

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has said it will be probing ‘various alleged incidents’ which took place during the team’s stay in Australia for the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022. The statement has come after Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka was arrested in Sydney for allegedly sexually assaulting a 29-year-old woman who he met through a dating app.

The 31-year-old cricket was charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent and was denied bail. He has also been suspended from all cricket by SLC following his arrest. While the rest of his teammates have already reached back home from Australia after their exit from the T20 World Cup, Gunathilaka is currently in police custody.

SLC has formed a three-member panel consisting of a retired high court judge to probe the alleged wrongdoings by the team during their stay in Australia. The board will also demand an explanation from the team manager and has promised to take strict action against those found guilty of negligence.

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“The committee will also focus the inquiry on various alleged incidents that have come to the attention of Sri Lanka Cricket and that are said to have allegedly taken place during the national team’s stay in Australia,” SLC said in a statement.

“The panel in this process will call for an immediate explanation from the team manager pertaining to his (the manager’s) conduct, with references to the occurrence of such incidents,” it added.

Gunathilaka had been ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2022 during the qualifiers after sustaining an injury during his team’s clash against Namibia. However, he stayed back in Australia with the rest of the squad while undergoing recovery. 

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He met the 29-year-old woman via a dating app and chatted with her for quite a few days before reportedly meeting her last week. The woman accused the cricketer of sexually assaulting her during their meeting and filed a police complaint against him following which the Sri Lankan cricketer was arrested.