Danushka Gunathilaka to face sexual assault trial

Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka will stand trial in a Sydney court next week as he battles allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman inside her eastern suburbs home.

Lawyers representing the 32-year-old fronted the Downing Centre District Court on Thursday as Gunathilaka gets set to face a judge-alone trial starting Monday.

Police allege the international cricket star matched with a woman on a dating app and they chatted several times before they met on November 2 last year when the alleged offence occurred.

The pair had drinks in the city before they went back to the woman’s home in the eastern suburbs about 11pm when the alleged sexual assault occurred, according to police.

At the time, the batsman was in Australia to play in the T20 World Cup.

Gunathilaka was previously granted an expedited trial so that he could return to Sri Lanka as soon as possible to resume his playing career if acquitted.

He earlier this year pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent.

The trial is expected to last three to four days and he will be assisted by a Sinhalese interpreter, the court was told on Thursday.