Sri Lanka board names panel to probe Gunathilaka sexual assault case

Sri Lanka Cricket said on Sunday it would cooperate with Australian law enforcement but launched its own probe into “various alleged incidents” in Australia.

Gunathilaka was charged with sexual assault while in Australia to play in the T20 World Cup and was denied bail by a court in Sydney on Monday. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Sri Lanka Cricket has formed a three-member panel that includes a retired high court judge to probe an alleged sexual assault case against Danushka Gunathilaka, SLC said on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old batter was charged with sexual assault while in Australia to play in the T20 World Cup and was denied bail by a court in Sydney on Monday.

SLC said on Sunday it would cooperate with Australian law enforcement but launched its own probe into “various alleged incidents” in Australia.

“The committee will also focus the inquiry on various alleged incidents that have come to the attention of Sri Lanka Cricket and that are said to have allegedly taken place during the national team’s stay in Australia,” an SLC statement read.

“The panel in this process will call for an immediate explanation from the team manager pertaining to his (the manager’s) conduct, with references to the occurrence of such incidents.”

After receiving the panel’s report, the SLC executive committee would take “stern disciplinary action” against any player or official found guilty of any “wrongdoing or negligence”, the cricket board said.

Gunathilaka, who was suspended from all forms of cricket on Monday, played a first round World Cup match against Namibia on Oct. 16 but was ruled out of the remainder of the T20 tournament with a hamstring injury.

Sri Lanka was eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup on Saturday, losing to England in its final match of the tournament.