Bangladesh cricketers flee from mosque shooting

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

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

The Bangladesh team was on a bus that was approaching the Al Noor mosque 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 social media walking back through Hagley Park to the cricket ground.

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

BCB President Nazmul Hassan later told reporters in Dhaka 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. IANS

Also Read: Sports News