Bangladesh cricketers flee from mosque shooting

IANS  |  Christchurch 

The team narrowly avoided being caught up in a shooting at a mosque in Christchurch in on Friday, forcing the cancellation of a test match against hosts

At least one gunman killed 49 people during Friday prayers at two mosques in the country's worst ever mass shooting.

The team was on a bus that was approaching the on the eve of the third test at nearby Hagley Oval when the shooting began, bdnews24.com reports.

Mario Villavarayen, the team's strength and conditioning coach, said it was a close call.

"Their bus was just pulling up to the mosque when the shooting began," he said. "They are shaken."

The team were pictured on walking back through Hagley Park to the ground.

A Board (BCB) said: "All our players are now safe... We have told them not to step out."

BCB later told reporters in that the team would now demand better security on all of their overseas tours.

"When any foreign team comes to our country, we always ensure proper security," he said.

Cricket said they had chosen to cancel the test, which was the final match of the tour, after discussions with the BCB.

"I spoke to my counterpart in Bangladesh and we agree it's inappropriate to play cricket at this time," told TVNZ.

"Arrangements are being made for the return of the Bangladesh team home as soon as possible," NZC said in a statement.

New Zealand abandoned their 1987 tour of following a bombing near their hotel in Colombo in which more than 100 people were killed.

They also abandoned a tour of in May 2002 following a suicide bombing outside their hotel in

--IANS

mr/soni

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First Published: Fri, March 15 2019. 17:58 IST