Guwahati: Sri Lankan batter Danushka Gunathilak was arrested in Sydney on suspicion of rape on Sunday morning.
According to reports, the arrest was made at the team hotel in Sydney’s central business area in relation to a 29-year-old woman’s alleged sexual abuse accusation.
An incident of sexual assault was reported earlier this week at a Rose Bay residence.
“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 November 2, 2022. As part of ongoing investigations, a crime scene examination was undertaken by specialist police at an address in Rose Bay yesterday. Following further inquiries, a 31-year-old man was arrested at a hotel on Sussex Street, Sydney, shortly before 1 am today (Sunday, November 6, 2022),” said a New South Wales police statement as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
“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 statement further said.
Gunathilaka was forced to leave the T20 World Cup in the first round due to a hamstring injury. Despite being dropped from the starting lineup he remained in Australia with the group. He has participated for Sri Lanka in eight Tests, 47 ODIs, and 46 T20Is since making his debut in November 2015.
Sri Lanka was eliminated from the competition on Sunday after losing to England at the Sydney Cricket Ground in their last group encounter.