Sri Lanka Cricket to launch inquiry into Gunathilaka incident
Sri Lanka Police have confirmed that the batsman is not under investigation, but his suspension is linked with an alleged sexual assault incident at the team hotel
Andrew Fidel Fernando
23-Jul-2018
Danushka Gunathilaka before the start of the fourth day's play • Getty Images
While stating that opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka is not himself under police investigation, Sri Lanka Police has confirmed that his suspension from all forms of cricket relates to an alleged sexual assault that is said to have occurred at the team hotel on the night of July 21.
Sri Lanka Cricket will carry out its own disciplinary inquiry into Gunathilaka's conduct, and had issued a release on Sunday stating that he would be suspended at the conclusion of the second Test against South Africa. Gunathilaka is understood to have breached his curfew on that night, and was anyway on thin ice with the board, having been suspended for six matches for other disciplinary issues in October last year.
He is not suspected of criminal wrongdoing.
The alleged incident of sexual assault - which police said Gunathilaka's suspension is related to - was reported to the police by a Norwegian woman. A British citizen has been arrested as a suspect. It is believed the British man is an acquaintance of Gunathilaka.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. @andrewffernando