News

‘My life is normal again’: Cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka cleared of rape

Published

2 years ago

September 28, 2023

Editor

Sri Lankan international cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka says he is eager to return to the game and rebuild his reputation after he was acquitted of sexual assault by a Sydney judge who said the evidence established there was “no opportunity” for him to have removed a condom during sex.

The 32-year-old batsman was accused of “stealthing” during sex with a 29-year-old woman at her eastern suburbs home in November last year. He pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent and faced a four-day trial before Judge Sarah Huggett in Downing Centre District Court.

Delivering a verdict of not guilty on Thursday, the judge said: “The evidence establishes that there was no opportunity for the accused to remove the condom … because that intercourse was continuous.”

Outside court, Gunathilaka told reporters the verdict “says everything”. He thanked his lawyers, manager, parents, and others in Sri Lanka for their support during the “hard time” over the past 11 months.

“Everyone believed me, so that means a lot to me,” he said, adding that he wants to get his reputation back.

“I’m happy that my life is normal again, so I can’t wait to go back and play cricket.”

The trial heard Gunathilaka, also known as Danny, and the woman matched on Tinder on October 29.

On their November 2 date, they had drinks at the Opera Bar, dinner at Frankie’s Pizza, and caught a ferry to the complainant’s home, where Gunathilaka recorded her playing guitar and singing.

“The mood as captured by those videos seemed relaxed, happy, and playful,” the judge said.

The woman alleged Gunathilaka kissed her forcefully and slapped her buttocks on the ferry to her house, and “ambushed” her by pushing her back on the lounge. She accepted under cross-examination she had said “Let’s go to my room” and lit candles “to create a mood”.

The woman claimed Gunathilaka choked her at least three times and slapped her buttocks during forceful intercourse in her bedroom for 10 to 15 minutes.

She said she noticed a condom on her bedroom floor within three to five seconds of the sex ending. The woman alleged Gunathilaka threw it there, but did not see him do it.

Huggett said the complainant came across as intelligent and “did not strike me as a witness motivated by a desire to give deliberately false evidence”.

“However, there were occasions when I formed the impression that some of her evidence had the appearance of being motivated by a desire to paint the accused in an unfavorable light,” she said.

She said it was “hardly surprising” the woman had seen a used condom on the ground afterwards, as “on any account, a used condom was removed”.

“The complainant did not see how or when the condom found its way to the position on the floor.”

Gunathilaka was arrested in the early hours of November 6 in the Hyatt Regency Hotel as the Sri Lanka team left for the airport. He let police search his hotel room, where they found a Burberry satchel bag containing two wrapped condoms.

“That he would wear a condom on occasion is supported by the fact that two unused condoms were located in his property,” the judge said.

Gunathilaka participated in a two-and-a-half hour recorded interview. Asked by police “At any point, did you put your penis into her without a condom on?” Gunathilaka replied, “No, no, no.”

He admitted he had told the woman he did not like to have sex with a condom, and she was the one who got a packet out.

“I never said ‘I want to do it without condoms’, and we did it with condoms,” Gunathilaka said.

The judge said Gunathilaka “answered every question asked of him in the interview, and I formed the distinct impression he was doing his best to be truthful and assist the police”.

“There is no reason at all to reject or disbelieve what he said in that interview,” Huggett said.

Huggett criticized the way police had dealt with the initial complaint, including taking notes on scraps of paper that made no reference to stealthing and which were destroyed “for no good reason at all”.

“Aspects of the handling of her complaint were far from satisfactory and, to be frank, very concerning,” the judge said.

Gunathilaka’s junior barrister Emma Sullivan told the court she was instructed to apply for costs. The matter will return to court on October 4.

Gunathilaka was suspended from cricket after his arrest. He made his international debut in 2015 and has represented Sri Lanka in more than 100 matches including eight Tests. He travelled to Australia for the T20 World Cup but was ruled out with a hamstring tear after playing one match.

He was granted a judge-alone trial due in part to pre-trial media interest. The proceedings were expedited by consent after the court heard he financially supported his parents with his earnings.

Cricket

Pakistan Cricketer Salman Mirza Issues Legal Notice Over Kandy Hotel Allegations

Published

2 hours ago

March 12, 2026

Editor

Pakistan fast bowler Salman Mirza has served a legal notice to broadcaster ARY Communications and journalist Shahid Hashmi, accusing them of spreading false and defamatory claims about his conduct during the team’s recent stay in Sri Lanka.

The notice, dated March 12, refers to a report aired on March 5 by ARY News which alleged that Mirza had misbehaved with a female staff member at the team hotel in Kandy and that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had fined him over the incident.

Mirza has strongly denied the allegations, with his legal team describing the broadcast as baseless and damaging to his reputation. The PCB also rejected the claims through its official X account, calling the report “agenda-driven fake news” and stressing that no disciplinary action had been taken against the player.

In the legal notice, Mirza’s lawyers demanded that ARY News and Hashmi retract the report from all platforms, issue an unconditional public apology, and pay damages of 100 million Pakistani rupees for the harm caused to his reputation and goodwill. The notice further warns that court proceedings will be initiated if these demands are not met within seven days.

Cricket

Gary Kirsten Sets Ambitious Plans for Sri Lanka Cricket

Published

18 hours ago

March 12, 2026

Editor

Sri Lanka’s newly appointed head coach, Gary Kirsten, has outlined his vision for the national team, emphasizing consistency, depth, and adaptability as key pillars for success. Speaking to Wisden Cricket, Kirsten shared his thoughts on the challenges ahead and the roadmap he hopes to build with the players.

“Our goal is to move significantly up the rankings. Everyone wants to be part of a winning team, and that means we must focus on achieving victories more consistently,” Kirsten said.

He highlighted the unique challenge faced by subcontinental teams: performing well outside their home conditions. With the ICC World Cup approaching, Kirsten stressed the importance of preparing for South African conditions.

“It’s vital that we adapt to those environments, especially with a major tournament around the corner,” he noted.

Kirsten’s primary ambition is to establish stability within the system while also identifying the squad’s depth.

“How many players are competing for the same position? As an international coach, creating competition within the team is crucial. Relying on just two or three individuals for wins is a risky strategy,” he explained.

Looking ahead, Sri Lanka will play several bilateral series, which Kirsten sees as an opportunity to strengthen the foundation of the team.

“My focus in the coming months is to build a strong background that supports long-term success,” he added.

Earlier Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed the appointment of Gary Kirsten as the new head coach, succeeding Sanath Jayasuriya, who stepped down following the recently concluded T20 World Cup

Cricket

Afghanistan’s White-ball Series against Sri Lanka officially postponed

Published

1 day ago

March 11, 2026

Editor

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announces that the Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka bilateral series, originally scheduled to commence on 13 March in the United Arab Emirates, has been rescheduled to the last quarter of 2026 due to logistical challenges, including flight constraints arising from the ongoing regional situation.

The series, which was to mark the first occasion of Afghanistan hosting Sri Lanka, was scheduled to feature six white-ball matches. The three T20 International matches were planned to be staged at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on 13, 15, and 17 March, followed by three One Day Internationals at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 20, 22, and 25 March.

Following the receipt of the required sanction from the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), preparations had been finalized for hosting the matches across the two venues. However, in early March, unforeseen developments created logistical constraints that affected travel arrangements and operational planning for the series.

To address the situation, the Afghanistan Cricket Board held a series of consultations with key stakeholders, including the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), Sharjah Cricket Stadium (SCS), and Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS). A joint meeting convened by the ACB on 4 March resulted in a recommendation to monitor the situation and reassess by 6 March, in the hope that conditions would improve. A subsequent follow-up meeting on 7 March recommended waiting until 9 March before making a final determination.

Despite the collective efforts of all parties to proceed with the event as planned, the logistical challenges remained beyond operational control, leading to the decision to postpone the series and explore rescheduling options.

Throughout this process, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) was kept fully informed, and the decision to postpone the series was made in consultation and with the consent of Sri Lanka Cricket.

The preferred venue for the rescheduled series remains the United Arab Emirates, and the new dates will be announced in due course following further coordination between the respective boards and stakeholders.