Sri Lanka lifts ban on cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka after acquittal of rape charges in Australia

Sri Lanka’ s cricket authorities have lifted a ban on international player Danushka Gunathilaka after he was cleared by an Australian court of sexual assault charges.

A file photof Sri Lanka’s Danushka Gunathilaka in action during an ODI match against Australia n Colombo. | Photo Credit: AP

Sri Lanka' s cricket authorities have lifted a ban on international player Danushka Gunathilaka following his acquittal in an Australian court of sexual assault charges.

Sri Lanka Cricket on Tuesday, October 17, 2023 said its executive committee accepted a recommendation by an inquiry panel to restore Gunathilaka's right to play cricket.

He was arrested in Australia last November, hours before his team was due to return home following the Twenty20 World Cup. He remained in Australia until Sept. 28 when he was acquitted of raping a woman he met on a dating site.

Police initially charged the 32-year-old Gunathilaka four offenses but p rosecutors later dropped three of those charges.

Gunathilaka maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent.

Sri Lanka Cricket banned Gunathilaka from all cricket activities soon after his arrest in November.

He had traveled to Australia with Sri Lanka’s Twenty20 World Cup squad last year but only played in the team’s first game before being ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury.