The recommendation, made by the committee, was officially ratified by the executive committee of Sri Lanka Cricket after a meeting held on October 13. However, the decision comes with a cautionary note to Gunathilaka, reminding him to always uphold his status as a representative of the nation in all his future actions.
Gunathilaka’s troubles began last year during the T20 World Cup when he was arrested on the sidelines of the tournament. He was accused of sexual intercourse without consent, leading to a legal battle that lasted 11 months under travel restrictions in Australia. Initially charged with four counts of rape, Gunathilaka eventually faced trial for one count of “stealthing” after the other charges were dropped by the prosecution.
Throughout the trial, Gunathilaka maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty. The case concluded with his acquittal after a four-day long trial in front of Judge Sarah Huggett at the Downing Centre District Court. With the ban now lifted, Gunathilaka is free to resume his cricketing activities and is eligible to return to national duty, marking the end of a challenging period in his career.
“After careful evaluation of Mr. Gunathilaka’s exoneration and with due consideration to his cricketing career and its impact on the cricketing ambitions of the nation, the Inquiry Panel, headed by Retired High Court Judge, Sisira Ratnayake, Mr. Niroshana Perera, Attorney at Law and Mr. Asela Rekawa Attorney at Law, unanimously recommended an immediate lifting of his cricketing ban, allowing him to resume regular cricket activities and return to national duty,” the SLC media release stated.
