Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Sri Lanka Cricket suspends Danushka Gunathilaka from all forms of cricket over alleged sexual assault

“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to emphasize that it adopts a “zero tolerance” policy for any such conduct by a player and will provide all the required support to the Australian law enforcement authorities to carry out an impartial inquiry into the incident.”

Sri Lanka Cricket suspends Danushka Gunathilaka from all forms of cricket over alleged sexual assault

Sri Lankan batter Danushka Gunathilaka has been suspended from all forms of cricket by the Sri Lanka Cricket board after the batter was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a woman in Australia during the T20 World Cup 2022 on Sunday.

"The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket decided to suspend national player Danushka Gunathilaka from all forms of cricket with immediate effect and will not consider him for any selections after being informed that Mr. Gunathilaka was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a woman in Australia," the Sri Lanka Cricket said in an official statement. Sri Lanka Cricket has emphasised its "zero tolerance" stance for any such behaviour and promised to take the appropriate actions to undertake an investigation into the alleged infraction as soon as possible.


"Furthermore, Sri Lanka Cricket will take the necessary steps to carry out an inquiry into the alleged offence promptly. Upon conclusion of the aforementioned court case in Australia, steps will be taken to penalize the said player if found guilty. Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to emphasize that it adopts a "zero tolerance" policy for any such conduct by a player and will provide all the required support to the Australian law enforcement authorities to carry out an impartial inquiry into the incident," the statement further read.

Danushka Gunathilaka was arrested in Sydney over alleged charges of rape on Sunday morning. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the arrest was made from the team hotel in Sydney's central business district in connection with an alleged sexual abuse complaint of a 29-year-old woman. The sexual assault was reported at a property in Rose Bay earlier in the week.

"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.

Earlier before SLC's decision came, Sri Lankan cricketer Gunathilaka was refused bail after the hearing at a local court here on Monday.

According to a report in 'Sydney Morning Herald', Gunathilaka appeared via video link in Downing Centre Local Court on Monday from Surry Hills cells. He was handcuffed and wearing a grey T-shirt, blue jeans and thongs, as his lawyer Ananda Amaranath made a bail application.

"Certainly, we are considering an application to the Supreme Court ... and that will be done as soon as possible. He'll be disappointed, clearly," Sydney Morning Herald quoted Amaranth as saying outside court on Monday.

Due to a hamstring injury, Gunathilaka was forced to withdraw from the T20 World Cup in the preliminary round. He was replaced in the lineup but stayed in Australia with the team. Since making his debut in November 2015, he has played for Sri Lanka in eight Tests, 47 ODIs, and 46 T20Is.

After losing to England at the Sydney Cricket Ground in their final group match, Sri Lanka crashed out of the tournament on Sunday.

(ANI)

More For You

Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal recalled that in February, Narendra Modi and Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Trade talks with US moving forward positively, says Indian minister Goyal

INDIA’s commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that negotiations on the proposed trade agreement between India and the United States, which began in March, are progressing in a positive atmosphere and both sides are satisfied with the discussions.

He recalled that in February, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police said they were called just before 08:30 BST on Tuesday, September 9, after the woman reported being attacked by two men near Tame Road. (Representational image: iStock)

Woman raped in racially aggravated attack in Oldbury

A WOMAN in her 20s was raped in Oldbury in what police are treating as a racially aggravated attack.

West Midlands Police said they were called just before 08:30 BST on Tuesday, September 9, after the woman reported being attacked by two men near Tame Road. Officers said the men made a racist remark during the incident.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tommy Robinson

The event, which Robinson has promoted for months, is being billed by him as the 'UK's biggest free speech festival.' (Photo: Getty Images)

London prepares for rival demonstrations, police deploy 1,600 officers

Highlights

  • More than 1,600 officers deployed across London on Saturday
  • Far-right activist Tommy Robinson to lead "Unite the Kingdom" march
  • Anti-racism groups to stage counter-protests in Whitehall
  • Police impose conditions on routes and timings of demonstrations

LONDON police will deploy more than 1,600 officers across the city on Saturday as rival demonstrations take place, including a rally organised by far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, and a counter-protest by anti-racism campaigners.

Keep ReadingShow less
Baiju Bhatt

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. (Photo: Getty Images)

Baiju Bhatt named among youngest billionaires in US by Forbes

INDIAN-AMERICAN entrepreneur Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of the commission-free trading platform Robinhood, has been named among the 10 youngest billionaires in the United States in the 2025 Forbes 400 list.

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Forbes estimates his net worth at around USD 6–7 billion (£4.4–5.1 billion), primarily from his roughly 6 per cent ownership in Robinhood.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mandelson-Getty

Starmer dismissed Mandelson on Thursday after reading emails published by Bloomberg in which Mandelson defended Jeffrey Epstein following his 2008 conviction. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Minister says Mandelson should never have been appointed

A CABINET minister has said Peter Mandelson should not have been made UK ambassador to the US, as criticism mounted over prime minister Keir Starmer’s judgment in appointing him.

Douglas Alexander, the Scotland secretary, told the BBC that Mandelson’s appointment was seen as “high-risk, high-reward” but that newly revealed emails changed the situation.

Keep ReadingShow less