Sri Lankan cricketer to face trial for sexual assault

Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka will stand trial accused of raping a woman while in Sydney for the T20 World Cup.

The 32-year-old faces one count of sexual intercourse without consent after the Crown withdrew three additional charges last month.

Gunathilaka has entered a not guilty plea to the remaining charge and will stand trial, the Downing Centre Local Court was told on Thursday.

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Police allege the batsman met up with the 29-year-old woman at Sydney's Opera Bar after matching with her on Tinder in November 2022.

The pair then returned to her home in Sydney's eastern suburbs before Gunathilaka allegedly choked her and raped her without a condom.

Gunathilaka is attempting to have his bail conditions eased so that he is only required to report to police three times a week, instead of daily.

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His lawyer Alen Sahinovic argued that the reduction in charges against him, as well as his lack of criminal history, merit less onerous bail conditions.

Gunathilaka had his bail varied in February to allow him to use the WhatsApp messaging service and go out at night after he was banned from using Tinder and other social media platforms when originally granted bail in November 2022.

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