Bangladesh cricket team flees mosque shooting in New Zealand

Members of the Bangladesh cricket team have described on social media their narrow escape from a mass shooting at a Christchurch mosque on Friday.

Players and members of the team's coaching staff were reportedly on a bus and approaching the Masjid Al Noor mosque in Hagley Park when the shooting broke out, reports news agency AP.

Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal tweeted, "Entire team got saved from active shooters. Frightening experience and please keep us in your prayers."

Performance analyst Shrinivas Chandrasekeran, also on Twitter, saying, "Just escaped active shooters. Heartbeats pumping badly and panic everywhere."

Mario Villavarayen, a strength and conditioning coach with the team, told New Zealand media the players did not see the shooter but heard shots. He said they were shaken but unhurt.

"I spoke to one of them shortly after," Vllavarayen said. They didn't see anything but heard gunshots. They were at the ground and just started running. "The coaching staff s were all at the hotel. The players just started running when they heard the shots."

The team is reported to have left the bus and fled on foot to nearly Hagley Oval where it is due to play New Zealand in a test match starting on Saturday.

Reports said the team is under lockdown in its dressing room at the stadium from which Bangladesh team manager Khaled Mashud Pilot has remained in contact with officials from New Zealand Cricket and the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

Khaled Mashud told UNB through WhatsApp that all members of the Bangladesh team are safe.

Another source told UNB that most of the Bangladeshi players were going to that mosque to offer Friday prayers after their practice.

However, they were prevented from going to the mosque area by security officers saying about an attack.

The Bangladesh team instantly get back to the Hagley Oval where the third and final Test of the series will take place from March 16.

Meanwhile, the local police department has urged people to stay indoors in the city of Christchurch after the incident.

Source: unb