New Zealand and Bangladesh on Friday cancelled the third cricket Test after multiple people were killed in gun attacks on mosques in Christchurch, including one that was attended by the Bangladeshi team.
Marty Melville / AFP
"A joint decision between NZC and the @BCBtigers has been made to cancel the Hagley Oval Test," the New Zealand team tweeted, adding that all players and officials were safe.
The third and final Test was scheduled to start on Saturday at Christchurch's Hagley Oval. New Zealand won the first two games in the series. Bangladeshi players and team staff arrived at the city's Masjid al Noor for Friday prayers as a shooting unfolded and were warned not to go inside.
"We are shocked and appalled, as I'm sure all New Zealanders are," NZ Cricket chief executive David White told TVNZ.
"I have spoken to my counterpart in Bangladesh and we both agree that it's inappropriate to play cricket at this time."
Bangladesh's cricket team escaped unscathed after a deadly shooting at a mosque in New Zealand, an official told AFP on Friday. Bangladesh Cricket Board spokesman Jalal Yunus said most of the team were bussed to the mosque in Christchurch and were about to go inside when the incident happened.
"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.
