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

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3 years ago

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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.

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Cricket

Sri Lanka Set for White-Ball Leadership Change as Kusal Mendis Emerges Favourite

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23 hours ago

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May 11, 2026

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Sri Lanka Cricket is reportedly preparing for a major leadership overhaul in the national white-ball teams, with Kusal Mendis tipped to become captain of both the ODI and T20I sides ahead of the upcoming West Indies tour.

According to a report by The Sunday Times, the experienced wicketkeeper-batter is expected to replace Charith Asalanka as ODI captain and take over the T20I leadership from Dasun Shanaka.

The reported decision comes as Sri Lanka seeks to strengthen its limited-overs structure and build momentum ahead of a packed international schedule. Cricket officials are believed to view Mendis as a dependable senior figure capable of guiding a relatively young squad through the next phase of development.

Having represented Sri Lanka for several years across all three formats, Mendis has established himself as one of the team’s key performers in white-ball cricket. His experience and consistency are expected to play a crucial role if the appointment is confirmed.

Meanwhile, the report stated that Dhananjaya de Silva will continue to lead the Test side, ensuring stability in the longer format.

Sri Lanka Cricket has yet to make an official announcement regarding the captaincy changes.

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Angelo Mathews sparks debate over England’s proposed Test tour reductions

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3 days ago

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May 9, 2026

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Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has strongly criticised reports that England may reduce future Test tours of Sri Lanka to a single match, warning that such a move risks undermining the fairness and integrity of the World Test Championship structure.

According to reports, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is reviewing its Future Tours Programme, with discussions suggesting that overseas red-ball series against nations such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh could be trimmed to just one Test, alongside white-ball fixtures. The shift is being linked to scheduling pressures and a push to prioritise longer home series against top-tier opposition.

However, Mathews has pushed back firmly against the idea, arguing that Test cricket must not be reshaped around commercial convenience or unequal participation between nations.
“We should not play one off test with anyone! If any country doesn’t want to play more than one so be it!” Mathews said, expressing clear frustration at the proposal.

He further stressed that all Test nations must be treated equally within the format, warning against creating an imbalance in match opportunities across the championship cycle.
“There’s nothing called bigger nations and test status is equal to all test playing nations,” he said.

Mathews also questioned the logic of restructuring series length while maintaining a unified global competition, pointing out the contradiction in workload and fairness.
“You can’t have 1 team playing 20 games and another playing 10 games in the same championship cycle!” he added.

His strongest criticism came when addressing the reasoning behind the proposed changes, which have been partly linked to revenue generation and broadcast appeal.

“Generating revenue and keeping test cricket alive is two different things and you should not mix up the two!” Mathews said, drawing a clear line between financial priorities and the preservation of the longest format.

The reported ECB discussions come amid wider debates within the International Cricket Council (ICC) over potential reforms to the World Test Championship, including proposals to expand participation and possibly allow single-Test series to contribute to standings for the first time.

The ICC is expected to review the proposals in upcoming meetings, with the future structure of Test cricket under increasing scrutiny as scheduling demands continue to grow across formats.

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Sri Lanka Juniors Ready for Billie Jean King Cup Challenge in Kazakhstan

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3 days ago

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May 9, 2026

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Sri Lanka’s emerging tennis players are set to represent the country at the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup Juniors – Asia/Oceania under-16 Final Qualifying tournament, which will be held in Shymkent, Kazakhstan from May 11 to 15, 2026.

The prestigious junior competition will bring together leading teams from across the region, including Australia, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Thailand, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, among others, all competing for regional supremacy and qualification progress.

Sri Lanka will be led by top-ranked junior player Annaya Norbet of Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya, who will take the position of number one player in the squad. She will be joined by Akeesha Silva of Newstead College, Negombo, selected as the second player, while Bovindee Jithsara from Bishop’s College completes the main trio.

Sandithi Usgoda Arachchi of Musaeus College has been named as the standby player, providing additional support to the team if required during the competition.

The squad will be coached by Anupa Maththamagoda, an experienced figure tasked with guiding the young team through the demanding international event.

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