T20 World Cup 2022: Sri Lanka's Danushka Gunathilaka arrested for rape charges in Sydney

Sri Lankan batter Danushka Gunathilaka's career seems to be in big trouble as he was arrested in Sydney on charges of raping a woman on Sunday, November 6. The cricketer hasn't traveled with the team back to Sri Lanka after being knocked out of the ongoing T20 World Cup.

The 31-year-old was arrested by Sydney Police at the Sussex Street hotel at about 1.00 am on Sunday on charges of sexually harassing a woman.

According to reports from Weekend Australia, Gunathilaka had begun interacting with the 29-year-old woman on an online dating app and the duo decided to meet up. But detectives from the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad and Eastern Suburbs reportedly investigated the issue and found out that the woman was allegedly raped at a home in Rose Bay.

Gunathilaka has been held on charges of intercourse without consent multiple times and even his bail plea was rejected even before it was presented at the Parramatta Bail Court.

Sri Lanka cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka has been arrested in Sydney yesterday for rape. Sri Lanka team left home without him this morning. Gunathilaka was injured three weeks ago and replaced by Ashen Bandara. But team management kept him with the squad without sending him home.

This isn't the first time Danushka Gunathilaka has gotten into trouble

Danushka Gunathilaka has had some disciplinary issues in the past as well. He was banned from international cricket for a year in July 2021 along with other players like Kusal Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella for breaching bio-bubble rules in England.

However, their bans were raised by the ICC in January 2022 after a request was put in by them. If Gunathilaka is found guilty in the end, that could well be the end of his international career.

🚨 NEWS ALERT 🚨

According to reports, Danushka Gunathilaka, who remained with the squad despite being ruled out of the #T20WorldCup with injury, has been reportedly arrested in Sydney for rape.

The Sri Lankan team have left for home leaving him behind.

#CricketTwitter https://t.co/HmclYMiLuX

Speaking of Sri Lanka's journey in the T20 World Cup, the Islanders didn't perform well in the Super 12 stage. They crashed out of the showpiece T20 event, finishing fourth in the standings with four points from five games.

Will Danushka Gunathilaka be free from his charges and play for Sri Lanka again? Or is it the end of the road for the 31-year-old? Only time will tell.