Sydney: Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka, who was arrested in Australia in a sexual assault case, has been suspended from all formats of cricket by the Lankan Cricket Board. In a press release issued on Monday, the executive committee of the board informed that it has decided to suspend the star.
The board also clarified that the player will not be considered for any further team selections. In a press release, the board stated that necessary steps will be taken to further investigate the incident and if the player is found guilty, strict action will be taken.
Meanwhile, the Australian court rejected Gunathilaka’s bail plea in the case. The star was arrested by the Sydney police after the Sri Lanka-England match in Sydney last Sunday. The arrest was based on a complaint lodged by a young woman.
The complainant is a 29-year-old woman who met her through a dating app. The complaint is that he was molested at a house in Rosebay, Sydney. The incident that led to the complaint took place on November 2. Gunathilake was taken into custody at the hotel where the team was staying in Sydney.
As many as four charges have been charged against the actor, including sexual intercourse without consent. Police reached the spot and arrested another person in the case.
Gunathilake was left out of the squad for the preliminary round due to a hamstring injury. Another player was included in his place, but he remained with the team in Australia. The player who joined the national team in 2015 has played eight Tests, 47 ODIs and 46 T20Is.