SLC lifts ban on Danushka Gunathilaka following acquittal of charges in sexual assault case in Australia
During the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, a Sri Lankan cricketer was accused of engaging in sexual intercourse without getting consent. However, he was acquitted of all charges in the case by the District Court of New South Wales, Australia. Gunathilaka's ban has been lifted, making him eligible for selection.
The ban imposed on cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka has been officially lifted by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
He was accused of sexual assault during the T20 World Cup 2022 and subsequently banned by the SLC. Recently, he was acquitted of all charges by the District Court of New South Wales.
Now that the ban on him has been lifted, the left-handed batter is once again eligible for selection.
Gunathilaka played in just one game during last year's T20 World Cup for Sri Lanka, which was against Namibia. Unfortunately, he had to be ruled out due to an injury.
Sri Lanka Cricket has officially released a statement announcing the lifting of the ban, allowing the cricketer to resume his regular cricket activities.
The media release stated that the Inquiry Panel, led by Retired High Court Judge Sisira Ratnayake, along with Mr. Niroshana Perera and Mr. Asela Rekawa, both solicitors at law, carefully evaluated Mr Gunathilaka's exoneration.
They also took into account his cricketing career and its impact on the nation's cricketing ambitions.
As a result, the panel unanimously recommended lifting his cricketing ban immediately. This would enable him to resume regular cricket activities and return to national d
Whether or not Danushka Gunathilaka can successfully make a comeback to the Sri Lanka cricket team is yet to be determined.
It seems highly unlikely that he will be included in the current World Cup, even in the event of an injury within the team. Additionally, players such as Pathum Nissanka have performed admirably while batting at the top of the order for the team.
Gunathilaka primarily serves as an opener and boasts an impressive record of 8 Test matches, 47 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 46 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) under his belt.
Now that the case in Australia is resolved, he will be eager to make a comeback to the national side.