WELLINGTON – Bangladesh cricketers are to return to the scene of the Christchurch mosque massacres two years after the tragedy, New Zealand cricket said Tuesday.
They are among four international teams confirmed to play in New Zealand over the coming months.
Bangladesh is scheduled to play a one-day international in Christchurch on March 17 and is likely to be in the city on March 15, two years to the day after a gunman killed 51 Muslim worshippers at two mosques and wounded another 40.
The gunman began his murderous rampage at the Al Noor Mosque, opposite the Hagley Park cricket oval, just as the mainly Muslim Bangladesh team arrived for prayers before practice on the eve of the second Test against New Zealand last year.
As the players were about to enter the mosque, a woman warned them that there was shooting inside and players took cover on the floor of their bus.
“We were very lucky because we were not inside that place,” team manager Khaled Mashud told reporters.
“We saw it from outside, like watching a video, like in the movies. We saw many people coming out bloodied.”
None of the players was injured and the team returned home the following day after the Test was cancelled.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said series against Bangladesh and Australia was yet to receive government approval but he was “confident” they would.
The government last week gave the green light for the West Indies and Pakistan to arrive under strict quarantine conditions for their first 14 days in the country due to concerns over the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I’m thrilled to be making this announcement today, given the uncertainty and difficulties over the past six or seven months,” White said.
“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the New Zealand government for helping us navigate this complex process.” – AFP, September 29, 2020
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