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Sri Lankan cricketer pulled off team bus and arrested on rape charges

Home> Cricket

Published 23:33 6 Nov 2022 GMT

Sri Lankan cricketer pulled off team bus and arrested on rape charges

Denied bail, he remains behind bars while his Sri Lankan teammates fly home after the T20 World Cup.

Max Sherry

Max Sherry

Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Sydney, Australia.

The team was competing in the T20 World Cup Down Under when the incident allegedly occurred.

After crashing out of the tournament, the team was preparing to head home when local police reportedly pulled Gunathilaka off the Sri Lankan bus and arrested him, according to the Daily Telegraph.

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He was subsequently charged with four counts of having sex without consent.

Denied bail at court, he will now remain behind bars.

Alamy

It's understood Gunathilaka had met the victim on an online dating site.

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According to Nine News, the pair had agreed to meet up at a bar near the Sydney Opera House before returning to the 29-year-old woman's home in Rose Bay.

It was there that Gunathilaka allegedly sexually assaulted her.

His arrest at 1am on Sunday morning came just a few short hours after Sri Lanka lost their final game of the World Cup to England at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

A spokesperson for New South Wales police said: "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.

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"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 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 Audio-Visual Link today."

The sport's governing body in Gunathilaka home country also spoke on the matter.

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A Sri Lanka Cricket statement said: "Sri Lanka Cricket confirms that it was notified by the ICC [International Cricket Council] that player Danushka Gunathilaka has been arrested on the allegations of sexual assault of a woman in Sydney, and Mr Gunathilaka is due to appear in court tomorrow (7 November).

"SLC will closely monitor the proceedings in court and, in consultation with the ICC, will expeditiously initiate a thorough inquiry into the matter and take stern action against the player if found guilty."

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Australia, Cricket

Max Sherry
Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

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@maxysherry

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