ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Gunathilaka arrested on rape charges in Sydney; SL team leaves without him

By Team Newsable | First Published Nov 6, 2022, 8:26 AM IST

Sri Lanka is out of the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup and has left Australia. Meanwhile, it had to return home without Danushka Gunathilaka, arrested on rape charges in Sydney.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Danushka Gunathilaka was arrested in Sydney on rape charges. The team had to leave Australia on Sunday without him, as a team source confirmed the development. It was learnt that the 31-year-old was apprehended and taken to the Sydney City police station on Sunday following an inquiry into the alleged sexual assault of a woman on November 2.

"Danushka Gunathilaka has been arrested for alleged rape. The Sri Lankan team has left Australia without him," a Sri Lankan team source reported to PTI. After losing to England on Sunday, the Lankan team was eliminated from the tournament. The left-handed batter played versus Namibia in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup opening round game and was dismissed for a duck.

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Later, he was out of the competition with an injury, while the team made it to the Super 12 stage. The Lankan side finished fourth in Group 1. On its website, the New South Wales police have also cited the arrest of an unknown Sri Lankan national. "Sex Crimes Squad detectives have charged a Sri Lankan national following an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a woman in Sydney's east last week," the report added.

Per the website's details, a 29-year-old woman had been sexually attacked at a residence in Rose Bay earlier this week. "The woman met with the man after communicating with him for several days via an online dating application; it's alleged he then sexually assaulted her on the evening of Wednesday, November 2, 2022," the report read.

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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 1 AM today [Sunday, November 6, 2022]," the report further said. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is yet to issue a statement on the subject.

(With inputs from PTI)

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