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New Delhi: International cricketer, Danushka Gunathilaka, hailing from Sri Lanka is eligible for national return after Sri Lanka cricket decided to revoke ban imposed on him last year for sexual misconduct. Last year, the Sri Lanka cricketer was banned in wake of charges related to an alleged sexual assault and misconduct in Australia.
The special committee decided to take this step after the batsman was acquitted in Australia. An SLC media release said that keeping in mind his cricketing career, the independent investigation committee appointed by the board has decided to drop the charges.
“After careful evaluation of Mr. Gunathilaka’s exoneration and with due consideration to his cricketing career and its impact on the cricketing ambitions of the nation, the Inquiry Panel, headed by Retired High Court Judge, Sisira Ratnayake, Mr. Niroshana Perera, Attorney at Law and Mr. Asela Rekawa Attorney at Law, unanimously recommended an immediate lifting of his cricketing ban, allowing him to resume regular cricket activities and return to national duty,” the medial release read.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wishes to announce that the Independent Inquiry Committee appointed by SLC, which was tasked with investigating into the impact of the criminal allegations against Mr. Danishka Gunathilaka in Australia, has recommended a full lifting of the ban imposed on…
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) October 17, 2023
The allegations stem from an incident involving a woman Gunathilaka met on the dating app, Tinder, in Sydney, Australia. The alleged sexual assault led to his arrest in November last year during the T20 World Cup. He faced travel restrictions for 11 months in Australia and was subsequently charged on four counts of rape, out of which three were dropped ahead of the trial and only one count was take up by the court. Gunathilaka pleaded not guilty before the judge and was later acquitted.
The woman who made allegations against Gunathilaka described various acts of aggression and violence, including forceful kissing and strangulation.
Gunathilaka pleaded innocent and faced a four-day trial and was later acquitted of all charges filed against him in the District Court of New South Wales. He returned to Sri Lanka on 3 October this year.
After his acquittal in Australia, the inquiry committee set up by Sri Lanka Cricket for the case decided to lift his suspension so that he could resume his cricket duties for the country. Gunathilaka’s last appearance came 12 months ago, when he played for Sri Lanka in the first-round match against Namibia at the T20 World Cup in October 2022.
