T20 World Cup 2022: THIS top cricketer charged with SEXUAL ASSAULT, arrested in Sydney

Sri Lanka opener Danushka Gunathilaka was ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2022 during the first round with a hamstring injury.

Sri Lanka opener Danushka Gunathilaka. (Source: Twitter)

Sri Lanka opening batter Danushka Gunathilaka has been shockingly charged by police after an alleged sexual assault in Sydney during the ongoing ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2022. Gunathilaka was arrested in the early hours of Sunday (November 6) morning from the team hotel in Sydney’s central business district after a police investigation into reports that a 29-year-old women had been sexually assaulted at a residence 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 Wednesday 2 November 2022,” a New South Wales police statement said. “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 AVL (audio visual links) today.”

T20 vrldd kp k dauraan shriilkaaii krikttr n kiyaa rp! plis n siddnii s kiyaa arstt#T20WorldCup #DanushkaGunathilaka @kapil_vashisht pic.twitter.com/jDaG75ow45 — Zee News (@ZeeNews) November 6, 2022

Asia Cup 2022 champions Sri Lanka were in Group 1 of the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2022 but failed to move into the semifinals. Sri Lanka lost their final Super 12 match against England in Sydney on Saturday (November 5).

Gunathilaka was ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2022 during the first round with a hamstring injury. He was replaced in the squad by Ashen Bandara but remained with the team in Australia. He has played eight Tests, 47 ODIs and 46 T20Is for Sri Lanka since making his international debut in November 2015.