Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is considering lifting the temporary cricket ban imposed on cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka, who was acquitted by an Australian court over sexual assault charges on September 28, according to sources.
Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka was found not guilty of sexual intercourse without consent following an accusation of “stealthing” involving a Tinder date in Sydney.
The 32-year-old was arrested in November while in Australia for the T-20 World Cup, after he went for drinks with a woman near the Opera House. He had chatted online for several days and then had dinner with the woman, who can’t be identified for legal reasons, before being invited back to her eastern suburbs home, the NSW District Court heard.
Outside court, Gunathilaka said the verdict “says everything” and that his reputation had been restored.
He thanked his lawyers, manager, as well as friends and family back in Sri Lanka, saying “everyone believed me, so that means a lot to me”.
“I’m happy that my life is normal again, so I can’t wait to go back and play cricket,” he said.
The Sri Lankan cricketer said the last eleven months have been “really hard”, particularly being in Australia without his parents.
-adaderana