Narrow escape for Bangladesh team There’s shooting here, please save us: Tamim Iqbal
Cricketers reach mosque as shooting was on; final Test vs hosts Kiwis called off
CHRISTCHURCH: Bangladesh’s Test cricketers were just a few minutes from being caught up in Friday’s massacre in New Zealand when they arrived at a Christchurch mosque as shooting began, a team spokesman said.
In a chilling account, Khaled Mashud described how most of the Bangladeshi team drove up to the Masjid al Noor in a bus just as the attack got underway.
At least 49 people died in attacks on two mosques during Friday prayers in what appeared to be the worst assault on Muslims in a Western country.
“We were very close, we could see the mosque. We were maximum 50 yards away. I would say we are very lucky,” Mashud told reporters in Christchurch.
“If we were there three to four minutes earlier, we would have been in the mosque, massive thing might have happened.”
Mashud said about 17 Bangladeshi players and team staff on the bus watched as blood-soaked victims staggered from the building.
“It looked like video, what we usually see in a movie. From the bus we saw bloodied people coming out of the mosque,” he said.
“We were in the bus about eight to 10 minutes. We kept our heads down in the bus, in case of any firing (towards them).
“Later we realised terrorists could come out and attack us, they would get then the lot of us in the bus and big incident would happen. Then we all decided to leave the bus.”
A Bangladesh cricket reporter posted footage of grim-faced players walking briskly from the scene as a police car with sirens wailing speeded in the other direction.
‘HEART IS HURTING’
Bangladesh Cricket Board spokesman Jalal Yunus later said the team were “shocked” but unharmed and had been ordered to stay in the team hotel.
“They are safe. But they are mentally shocked. We have asked the team to stay confined in the hotel,” said Yunus.
Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal called the near-miss “frightening”, while team-mate Mushfiqur Rahim tweeted: “We r extremely lucky...never want to see this things happen again .... pray for us.”
“Just escaped active shooters!!! Heartbeats pumping badly and panic everywhere!!” posted Bangladesh high performance analyst Shrinivas Chandrasekaran.
The third and final Test match of Bangladesh’s tour, scheduled to start in Christchurch on Saturday, was quickly scrapped.
As condolences poured in for the victims and their families, All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams, a devout Muslim, said his “heart is hurting” and posted an emotional video tribute.
“Inshallah (God willing) everyone who’s been killed today... you guys are all in paradise,” he said, wiping away tears as he spoke.
“Just deeply, deeply saddened that this would happen in New Zealand.”
Record-breaking ex-all Blacks fly-half Dan Carter, a long-time player for Christchurch’s Crusaders team, tweeted: “Sending love to everyone in Christchurch right now.”
The All Blacks, New Zealand’s all-conquering rugby team and the reigning world champions, tweeted: “Christchurch, we stand with you during this time.
“Our thoughts and sympathies are with everyone affected by today’s tragedy. Stay strong. Kia Kaha.”
As a minute’s silence was held at the Chiefs v Hurricanes Super Rugby game, a New Zealand derby, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli called the killings “shocking and tragic”.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted: “This reaffirms what we have always maintained: that terrorism does not have a religion.” NEWDELHI: Bangladesh cricketers had a narrow escape after almost walking into Christchurch’s Al Noor mosque as a gunman shooting at worshippers gathered for Friday afternoon prayers. The players had reached the nearby Hagley Oval for training early in the afternoon but had decided to attend Friday prayers first and left once skipper Mahmudullah finished his pre-match news conference.
Espncricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent Mohammad Isam narrated the fear and panic that gripped the players when they realised they had landed in the middle of the shooting. Isam describes the confusion of the players turning into horror when they realised they were plain lucky.
“Seventeen members of the touring party, including manager Khaled Mashud, team analyst Shrinivas Chandrasekaran and masseur Md Sohel were accompanying the players,” Asam wrote in his blog on Espncricinfo.
Isam said he rushed to the mosque after batsman Tamim Iqbal called his mobile in panic. “There’s shooting here, please save us,” he quoted Tamim as saying. “I first think he is playing a prank but he hangs up and calls again - this time his voice starts to crack. He says I should call the police as there’s a shooting going on inside the mosque where they are about to enter.”
Isam and two other Bangladesh journalists took a lift as they rushed to the mosque and saw the road blocked by a police car. Approaching the parked Bangladesh team bus, they saw the players running away from it with a body lying not too far away.
The players crossed to the side of Hagley Park and got directions to the ground, a 15-minute walk. They started to run in panic but were advised to only walk briskly. The players again spread out but were told to stick together.
“It’s no more than a kilometre away but it was the longest few minutes of my life,” wrote Isam, describing how a senior player held him and broke down.
The players reached Hagley Oval and were taken to the dressing room. They were later escorted to the team hotel.
I first think he is playing a prank but he calls again, this time his voice starts to crack. He says I should call police. MOHD ISAM, On Tamim’s SOS