Bangladesh cricket team narrowly ‘escape’ mosque shooting in Christchurch

Bangladesh cricketers outside the mosque. Image Source: twitter

XtraTime Web Desk: Bangladesh cricketers escaped untouched from a deadly shooting at a mosque in New Zealand, a BCB official confirmed.

BCB spokesperson Jalal Yunus said most of the team members were heading towards the mosque in Christchurch and they were about to get into it and suddenly the firing took place.

“They are safe. But they are mentally shocked. We have asked the team to stay confined in the hotel,” he told AFP.

Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal wrote on Twitter: “Entire team got saved from active shooters!!! Frightening experience and please keep us in your prayers.” Local media said multiple people were killed in the incident.

“Alhamdulillah Allah save us today while shooting in Christchurch in the mosque,” tweeted another player, Mushfiqur Rahim.

We r extremely lucky…never want to see this things happen again….pray for us.”

Shrinivas Chandrasekaran, the team’s high performance analyst, posted: “Just escaped active shooters!!! Heartbeats pumping badly and panic everywhere!!” Mazhar Uddin, a reporter for Bangladesh’s Daily Star who is travelling with the team, said they were told a shooting was going on when they arrived at Christchurch’s Masjid Al Noor.

“The distraught Bangladesh players got inside a bus and laid down on the floor after the warning,” he reported.