New Zealand v Bangladesh 3rd Test cancelled following mass shooting

by Saksham Mishra Friday 15 March 2019

The Hagley Oval

©REUTERS/Paul Childs

The third Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh, which was scheduled to start at the Hagley Oval from March 16, has been cancelled after the mass shooting on Friday. The decision was taken mutually by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in the aftermath of deadly attack which claimed several lives.

Few members of the Bangladesh cricket team were in the vicinity of the mosque at the time of the attack. Thankfully, all of them are safe.

New Zealand Cricket tweeted after the attack, “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of those affected by the shocking situation in Christchurch. A joint decision between NZC and the @BCBtigers has been made to cancel the Hagley Oval Test. Again both teams and support staff groups are safe.”

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a media briefing: “Clearly, what has happened here is an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence. Many of those who will have been directly affected by this shooting may be migrants to New Zealand, they may even be refugees here.”

"Entire team got saved from active shooters!!! Frightening experience and please keep us in your prayers," read Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal's tweet.

Alhamdulillah Allah save us today while shooting in Christchurch in the mosque...we r extremely lucky...never want to see this things happen again....pray for us
— Mushfiqur Rahim (@mushfiqur15) March 15, 2019

For so long I’ve watched world events from afar and naively thought we were somehow different in our little corner of the world, somehow safe. Today is a terrible day. Disgusted and saddened doesn’t begin to describe it.