Bangladesh team manager Khaled Mashud said that the team was just "about 50 yards from the mosque", which was the site of a terror attack in Christchurch on Friday. Following the attack, the third and final Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh was cancelled and Mashud told reporters that the incident they witnessed was "straight out of a movie scene".
As the attack on the Masjid Al Noor mosque in Hagley Park took place, the team were initially barred from leaving bus but eventually made their way to the team hotel.
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Speaking to reporters at the team hotel, Mashud said: "This was a kind of accident that we would never expect nor want in any part of the world. We are very lucky because we had a number of us, about 17 of us, in the bus. Soumya Sarkar was also there, and we were all heading to the mosque for prayers.
"Only two of the players had stayed back in the hotel, and rest of the squad had gone there. We were very close to the mosque, and we could see from the bus. We must have been about 50 yards from the mosque."
Mashud narrated what took place as the team was heading to the mosque and admitted that they were "really lucky" to not be caught in the crossfire.
"I would say we were really lucky. Had we reached even three or four minutes earlier, we probably would have been inside the mosque. This could then have been a massive incident. We are very thankful that we weren't caught in the crossfire, but what we saw was straight out of a movie scene.
"We could see bloodstained people staggering out of the mosque. Maybe in about eight-ten minutes, we were all inside the bus and were sitting with our heads bowed, just in case someone fires at us."
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Then the team escaped through the back gate to the ground and in the dressing room before they safely managed to get to the team hotel. He also confirmed that the entire team and support staff are healthy and at the hotel and that their plans to return home are being worked out.
"They have told us and will send an official mail by 6:30 in the evening. Our plan to return has also been chalked out with the people in charge of logistics," he added.
Mashud also appreciated the New Zealand cricket board for their efforts and admitted that it was unfortunate that the third Test had to be cancelled.