Photo Credit: Danushka Gunathilaka's Instagram
Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka has been arrested by Australian police on four counts of sexual assault following Sri Lanka’s final match at the T20 World Cup.
Gunathilaka reportedly met the Australian woman, aged 29, for a date on Wednesday following communication on an online dating application. In the evening they went to the woman’s home in Rose Bay where he had sex without her consent multiple times within a period of several hours.
NSW sex crimes squad commander Jayne Doherty reported that the Australian woman took steps to ensure her safety which included communicating with Gunathilaka several days before meeting in person and arranging a date in a public place.
He is due to appear at Waverley local court on Monday. Sri Lanka’s Cricket team has responded to the charges stating that they will monitor the court proceedings closely. The Sri Lankan Cricket have left Australian following their loss against England.
Gunathilaka played in the first match, a loss against Nambia, before being ruled out of the competition for a hamstring tear. His participation follows a suspension from Sri Lankan cricket after the team breached their bio-secure bubble during their tour of England.
In the past, Gunathilaka has also faced sanctions for his offensive conduct and indecent behaviour. In March 2021, the International Cricket Council reprimanded him for breaching their code of conduct for the abusive language he used against towards West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran. On 28 April 2021, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) censured following reports that he had engaged in a brawl at a hotel in Matara.
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