Christchurch: The Bangladesh cricket team Saturday left New Zealand, hours after escaping death by a whisker in the deadliest terror attack in the country’s history. Leaving behind Friday’s scary experience in Christchurch, the Bangladesh cricketers were relieved to be boarding the flight back home.
The Bangladesh team, which was scheduled to play in the third and final Test against New Zealand starting here on Saturday, was on its way to the Masjid Al Noor Mosque mosque, one of two sites of the shooting attack that killed at least 49 people. The tour was immediately called off.
Bangladesh players and management departed Christchurch on Saturday, travelling from their central city hotel to Christchurch Airport in the team bus under police escort, according to stuff.co.nz.
Bangladesh’s support staff were scheduled for a later flight. On Friday, the bus carried 17 members of the team with Liton Das, Nayeem Hasam and spin bowling coach and former India spinner Sunil Joshi staying back at the hotel.
The players and support staff could hear gunshots as they feared for their lives inside the bus. Minutes later, they mustered the courage to disembark and rush towards the Hagley Oval stadium. Their team bus was only about 50 yards from the mosque and players were worried about how they would safely get out of the vehicle. Once at the Hagley Oval, they were housed in a dressing room at the ground before leaving for the team hotel.
