Danushka Gunathilaka was placed under a ban on November 22. On November 23, an impartial committee recommended that the ban be lifted, restoring his right to be selected for the national squad, as stated by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
During the year’s T20 World Cup, the cricketer found himself in a problematic situation when a woman accused him of engaging in non-consensual sexual behavior. This incident resulted to his detainment. Gunathilaka participated in the World Cup match against Namibia but was dismissed without scoring any runs. He later had to abandon the event owing to an injury but stayed with the team during their time in Australia.
While in Australia, he endured travel limitations for about a year. It’s worth mentioning that out of the four rape allegations initially brought against him, only one “stealthing” charge made it to court, and the prosecution dismissed the other counts before the trial.
Danushka Gunathilaka maintained his innocence throughout the legal processes, which ended in a four-day trial presided over by Judge Sarah Huggett at the Downing Centre District Court. In the end, he was acquitted of the accusations.
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Choosing to plead innocent, the 32-year-old went through a trial, and he was ultimately acquitted of the accusation. Now that the SLC has lifted his ban, the versatile player can, at last, make his comeback to international responsibilities after a considerable break.
“After careful evaluation of Mr. Gunathilaka’s exoneration and with due consideration to his cricketing career and its impact on the cricketing ambitions of the nation, the Inquiry Panel, headed by Retired High Court Judge Sisira Ratnayake, Mr. Niroshana Perera, Attorney at Law, and Mr. Asela Rekawa, Attorney at Law, unanimously recommended an immediate lifting of his cricketing ban, allowing him to resume regular cricket activities and return to national duty,” the SLC media release stated.
Sri Lanka’s performance in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023 has been far from impressive. After participating in three matches in this prestigious tournament, they have failed to secure a single victory, making it a challenging start for the team.
According to a SLC press release on the subject it read, “After careful evaluation of Mr. Gunathilaka’s exoneration and with due consideration to his cricketing career and its impact on the cricketing ambitions of the nation, the Inquiry Panel, headed by Retired High Court Judge Sisira Ratnayake, Mr. Niroshana Perera, Attorney at Law, and Mr. Asela Rekawa, Attorney at Law, unanimously recommended an immediate lifting of his cricketing ban, allowing him to resume regular cricket activities and return to national duty.”
