Sri Lanka batter Danushka Gunathilaka has been charged by police after an alleged sexual assault in Sydney’s east. Check out why he arrested.
Danushka Gunathilaka : Sexual assault | why arrested
He made his One Day International debut for Sri Lanka against the West Indies on 1 November 2015.
He was selected for home ODI series against West Indies in 2015 after a string of impressive performances with the Sri Lankan A side in the tour of New Zealand in the same year scoring two fifties in four innings.
After Kusal Perera dropped from the 2015–16 New Zealand tour due to drug scandal, Gunathilaka was included to the ODI squad for opening position with Tillakaratne Dilshan.
His batting ability did not show in the first two ODIs, but in the third ODI, which was his only 4th international match, Gunathilaka scored a fast and dashing 65 runs from 45 balls.
Danushka Gunathilaka Sexual assault
In a startling development in the early hours of Sunday in Australia, Sri Lanka cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka was taken to Sydney City police station as part of an investigation of alleged sexual assault of a woman on November 2.
The Sri Lankan team was in Australia for the ongoing T20 World Cup, before being eliminated from the competition on Saturday.
“Following further inquiries, a 31-year-old man was arrested at a hotel on Sussex Street, Sydney, shortly before 1am today (Sunday 6 November 2022). He was taken to Sydney City Police Station and charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent.
The Sri Lankan national was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court via AVL today,” the police added.
Gunathilaka has played 8 Tests, 47 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 46 T20Is for the Islanders.
The 31-year-old made his international debut against the West Indies at the R.Premadasa Stadium in 2015. Former champions Sri Lanka bowed out of the T20 World Cup in the Super 12 stage of the ICC event.
“The woman met with the man after communicating with him for a number of days via an online dating application; it’s alleged he then sexually assaulted her on the evening of Wednesday 2 November 2022.
As part of ongoing investigations, a crime scene examination was undertaken by specialist police at an address in Rose Bay yesterday,” a New South Wales police statement said.
“Following further inquiries, a 31-year-old man was arrested at a hotel on Sussex Street, Sydney, shortly before 1 am today (Sunday 6 November 2022). He was taken to Sydney City Police Station and charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent. The Sri Lankan national was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court via AVL today.”
Why arrested
Sri Lankan all-rounder Danushka Gunathilaka was reportedly arrested by the police in Sydney on charges rape, after Sri Lanka ended their T20 World Cup campaign.
The 31-year-old was arrested and taken to Sydney City police station in the wee hours of Sunday following an investigation into alleged sexual assault of a woman on November 2.
“Daushka Gunathilaka has been arrested for an alleged rape. The Sri Lankan team has left Australia without him,” a source close to the Sri Lankan team told PTI.
Gunathilaka played against Namibia in the first round match of the ongoing T20 World Cup and was out for a duck.
He was later ruled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury even as the team qualified for the Super 12 stage. However, he continued to remain with the squad, despite being replaced by Ashen Bandara.
Sri Lanka team finished fourth in Group 1. It is pertinent to mention that Sri Lanka was knocked out of the tournament after losing to England on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the New South Wales police, on its website, has also mentioned about the arrest of an unnamed Sri Lankan national.