COLOMBO:  Following his arrest in Sydney early on Sunday for allegedly sexually assaulting a 29-year-old woman earlier in the week, Danushka Gunathilaka, a 31-year-old left-handed batter, was suspended from all forms of cricket by the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) executive committee and a three-member panel was formed to investigate the incident.

The team manager will seek an immediate explanation regarding the behaviour of the cricket player and the course of events. After Sri Lanka's elimination from the ICC T20 World Cup, Gunathilaka was just about to board a plane for home when police took him off of the team van on Sunday morning.

The 31-year-old Sri Lankan player communicated with a woman for a few days "through an online dating app before they met in person," said the New South Wales Police department. Then, on November 2nd, he allegedly assaulted her sexually. Gunathilaka is accused of rape on four counts.

To launch an investigation into the alleged incident involving player Danushka Gunathilaka, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Tuesday announced the appointment of a three-member investigation panel made up of Justice Sisira Ratnayake (Retired High Court Judge), Mr. Niroshana Perera, Attorney-at-Law, and Mr. Asela Rekawa, Attorney-at-Law.

"The committee will also concentrate its investigation on a number of alleged occurrences that have been brought to Sri Lanka Cricket's attention and are reported to have allegedly occurred during the national team's visit to Australia. The panel in this procedure will ask the Team Manager for an urgent explanation of his conduct, including details about the occurrence of such instances "The statement was made.

The statement said that if any misconduct or negligence in the performance of official duties were found, the Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket will take severe disciplinary measures against the players and/or officials.
The cricketer Gunathilaka, who has played in eight Tests, 47 ODIs, and 46 T20Is, was replaced in the squad after being forced to withdraw from the T20 World Cup in the first round due to a hamstring injury.

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