Colombo: Sri Lankan batsman Danushka Gunathilaka has been suspended from all forms of cricket by the Sri Lanka Cricket Board after the batsman was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Australia during the T20 World Cup 2022 on Sunday.
“The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to suspend national player Danushka Gunathilaka from all forms of cricket with immediate effect and for Mr Gunathilaka to be arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a woman in Australia and for any selection against him. Will not be considered, Sri Lanka Cricket said in an official statement.
Sri Lanka Cricket has emphasized its “zero tolerance” stance for any such behavior and has promised to take appropriate action to investigate the alleged violations at the earliest.
“In addition, Sri Lanka Cricket will take necessary steps to immediately investigate the alleged offence. At the conclusion of the above court case in Australia, steps will be taken to punish the said player if found guilty. Sri Lanka Cricket would like to emphasize that it adopts a “zero tolerance” policy for any such conduct by a player and will provide all necessary assistance to Australian law enforcement authorities to conduct an impartial investigation into the incident. ,
Danushka Gunathilaka was arrested in Sydney on Sunday morning for alleged rape. The arrest was made in connection with an alleged sexual abuse complaint of a 29-year-old woman from the Team Hotel in Sydney’s central business district, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Earlier this week a sexual assault was reported at a Rose Bay property
“The woman met the man after communicating with him for several days through an online dating application; It is alleged that he sexually assaulted her on the evening of November 2, 2022. As part of an ongoing investigation, a crime scene was investigated by specialist police at an address in Rose Bay yesterday. After further questioning, a 31-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in Sydney’s Sussex Street shortly before 1 a.m. today (Sunday, 6 November 2022), ”a statement from New South Wales Police quoted by ESPNcricinfo stated in.
Sri Lankan cricketer Gunathilaka was denied bail after a hearing in a local court here on Monday, ahead of the SLC’s verdict.
According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Gunathilaka appeared in Downing Center local court on Monday via video link from the Surry Hills cell. When his lawyer Anand Amarnath applied for bail, he was handcuffed and was wearing a gray T-shirt, blue jeans and a thong.
“Definitely, we are considering an application in the Supreme Court… and it will be done at the earliest. He will clearly be disappointed,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Amarnath as saying outside the court on Monday.
Due to a hamstring injury, Gunathilaka was forced to pull out of the T20 World Cup in the preliminary round. He was replaced in the lineup but remained with the team in Australia. Since making his debut in November 2015, he has played for Sri Lanka in eight Tests, 47 ODIs and 46 T20Is.
After losing to England in their final group match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sri Lanka bowed out of the tournament on Sunday.
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