Updated: T20 World Cup: Gunathilake refused bail and suspended by SLC

Sri Lanka opener, Danushka Gunathilake, arrested in the wee hours of Sunday on charges of sexual assault and charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent, was remanded indefinitely by a Sydney Court on Monday, media reports said. 

He was also suspended with immediate effect by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) hours later from all forms of the game pending additional inquiry.

"The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket decided to suspend national player Danushka Gunathilaka from all forms of cricket with immediate effect and will not consider him for any selections after being informed that Mr. Gunathilaka was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a woman in Australia", the statement read. 

"Furthermore, Sri Lanka Cricket will take the necessary steps to promptly carry out an inquiry into the alleged offense, and, upon conclusion of the aforementioned court case in Australia, steps will be taken to penalize the said player if found guilty. Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to emphasize that it adopts a “zero tolerance” policy for any such conduct by a player and will provide all the required support to the Australian law enforcement authorities to carry out an impartial inquiry into the incident". 

The 31-year-old earlier on Monday, dressed in a grey T-shirt sat calm, appearing over a video link in handcuffs, to confirm identity, was shown on a screen in Downing Centre Local Court, Sydney.

His lawyer, Ananda Amaranath, was quoted by foreign press saying he would seek bail for the south paw.

Magistrate Robert Williams briefly adjourned the case before hearing the bail application.

Gunathilake would be held in a correction centre, his lawyer told reporters in Sydney. 

He went behind bars slapped with rape charges on a 29-year-old Sydney woman, found over a dating app.  

Though, initially, it was all consensual sexual intercourse, it later emerged, the accused had refused to wear a condom and forced himself on her, Sydney Police Spokeswoman, Jayne Doherty, said.

Police confirmed the international cricket star, 31, was arrested at a Sussex Street hotel about 1 a.m. on Sunday over the alleged incident in Sydney’s east last week.

Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad and Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command commenced a joint investigation following reports a 29-year-old woman had been sexually assaulted at a home in Rose Bay.

Police allege the woman had exchanged messages with Gunathilaka for days via an online dating app, since October 29.

The pair met on Wednesday (2) and the professional cricketer sexually assaulted her, according to police allegations.

"The pair met up in Sydney at a prearranged meeting. They had drinks and went for something to eat before going back to the young lady's home," Doherty told reporters, as reported by a foreign news agency. 

"Sex Crimes Squad detectives have charged a Sri Lankan national following an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a woman in Sydney’s east last week," New South Wales police said in a statement, without naming the man, reported another foreign media.

The rest of the team departed Sydney, the same night for Colombo without Gunathilaka.

Sources said team manager Mahinda Halangoda was granted only five minutes to speak with the troubled cricketer.

SLC, retaining lawyers to represent Gunathilaka, who has had a history of disciplinary issues, including the infamous nigh-out in Leeds, England, last year, clarified that the accused was not sent back home as he was on stand-by as a reserve player.

“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to clarify that Danushka Gunathilaka, despite being replaced midway through the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup due to injury, was retained in the squad as a “stand-by player”,’ it read, reasoning out over a statement on Sunday noon.

“The decision was taken by the team management, in consultation with the doctors and selectors, as Gunathilaka was fast recovering from the injury he suffered. Hence, it was decided to keep the player with the team, as he had already acclimatized to the conditions in Australia, and can continue to train with the squad with a view of immediately drafting him back into the 15-member squad, should the need arises”, the statement went on.   

After being caught red-handed in England, the ban was lifted six months in to the ban, after they appealed.

A crime scene examination was undertaken at the address on Saturday.

He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court via AVL [audio visual links] on Sunday. 

*Updated at 01.10 p.m. Sri Lanka Time on Monday (7) with SLC statement and correcting the headline