7 November 2022 07:54 am
*Investigations reveal that this is not the first time he has faced disciplinary charges
* Danushka has faced at least three allegations of misconduct on females
Sri Lankan citizens woke to shocking news last morning of a national cricketer facing allegations of sexual assault in Australia during the T20 World Cup. The allegations which have rocked the cricketing world has also brought much disgrace to Sri Lanka Cricket, which continued with Danushka's selection despite the cricketer facing an alleged dark past.
Danushka is no stranger to cricket-loving citizens. Although the country expected to see his performance on the field, the cricketer had allegedly other plans brewing. According to a statement given by Deputy Superintendant Jane Doherty, Australia's Sex Crimes Squad Commander, which was played on Australian media, Danushka had met a female on the dating app 'Tinder and the two had been chatting for weeks. Last Wednesday night the two had for the first time met at the Opera bar in Sydney although Danushka was well aware he had a commitment with the national cricket team. The couple had decided to return to the female's house in Rosebay for consensual sex, but when the victim had allegedly requested Danushka to wear a condom he had refused. When asked, the cricketer allegedly choked his 29-year-old victim after arguments and sexually assaulted her.
The Australian police nabbed Danushka on Saturday night just as the team was preparing to leave Australia on an early morning flight to return back home. He was produced before an Australian court yesterday, where his bail was rejected.
Investigations here have revealed that this is not the first time that Danushka has faced disciplinary charges. Sources within the SLC told Daily Mirror yesterday that within the past two years, Danushka has faced at least three allegations of misconduct on females and one incident of misbehaviour where he along with two other players broke the bio bubble during a tour in England.
Sources said that within the past two years, Danushka had faced two complaints down south for allegedly harassing women, one which included him allegedly visiting a nightclub/hotel in Mirissa where he made advances on a female and the victim had moved away after slapping the cricketer on the face.
In 2018, SLC slapped a six-match ban on the batsman for breaching player rules as police investigated the alleged rape of a Norwegian woman in his hotel room in Kollupitiya.
Danushka was questioned by police after his associate Sandeep Jude Selliah was accused of raping one of two Norwegian women with them in a room at the team hotel.
Police said Danushka was not an accused, but a cricket board hearing found him guilty of breaching team discipline and violating his contract.
SLC rules stipulate that during matches, players must be in their hotel rooms by midnight and cannot have guests.
This incident in 2018 was just months after he faced another disciplinary inquiry in October 2017, where he missed a training session following late-night partying.
Even during the England tour in 2021, where he, Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis faced a one-year ban after a bio bubble breach during the COVID-19, Danushka and the rest of the two players were cleared in a year and taken back into the team.
With Danushka already having such a troubled past to which he was cleared, a serious question now arises as to why the selection committee of Sri Lanka Cricket continuously kept such a player on the national cricket team even as a backup player.
Sources in the sports industry said that a player with so many allegations should have faced a ban for life but questions now arise as to why Danushka was continuously selected and even sent for tours.
Soon after the sexual assault allegations against Danushka went viral yesterday Sri Lanka Cricket was quick to release a statement stating that it had initiated a thorough inquiry into the matter and said it will take stern action against the player if found guilty.
“SLC will closely monitor the proceedings in court and, in consultation with the ICC, will expeditiously initiate a thorough inquiry into the matter and take stern action against the cricketer, if found guilty,” the SLC said. (JAMILA HUSAIN)