Few instances when cricket tournaments were cancelled or shifted after being hit by terror attacks.
Bangladesh cricket team's tour to New Zealand was called off on Friday after shooting at two mosques in Christchurch in which at least 49 people were killed. The Bangladesh team closely escaped the shooting but the third and final Test match, scheduled at the Hagley Oval on Saturday, was cancelled.
At least 49 people have been killed in the attack described by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as 'one of New Zealand's darkest days'.
The Bangladesh team was near the mosque to offer Friday prayers when a gunman started shooting at the worshippers at Al Noor mosque. The players left the mosque quickly but were shaken up due to the incident. Mario Villavarayen, the team's strength and conditioning coach, said it had been a close call.
Bangladesh Cricket Board spokesman Jalal Yunus said “They are safe. But they are mentally shocked. We have asked the team to stay confined in the hotel”.
Announcing the decision to cancel the upcoming match, New Zealand cricket board tweeted, “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”.
This incident is not the first time a cricket team has been forced to cancel a match or call off the tour due to violence. Here are few instances when cricket tournaments were cancelled or shifted after being hit by terror attacks:
1. Australia vs Sri Lanka (1996 World Cup)
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In the 1996 tournament co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the Australian cricket team refused to travel to Sri Lanka as the team cited security threat after a bombing incident.
The incident had taken place in Colombo a month before the World Cup. The Kangaroos had to forfeit 2 points, however, both teams met in the final at Pakistan. Sri Lanka went on to lift their maiden World Cup trophy.
(Image: cricket.com.au)
2. West Indies vs Sri Lanka (1996 World Cup)
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Following Australia’s footsteps, West Indies also decided not to play their match in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka were awarded 2 points and West Indies progressed to the knockout rounds. They, however, had to settle for the fourth place.
(Image: File Photo)
3. Sri Lanka vs Pakistan (2009)
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The attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team on 3 March 2009 will always be remembered. The bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketers was fired upon by 12 gunmen near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. The team were on their way to play the third day of the second Test match.
Six Sri Lanka national cricket team members were wounded and six Pakistani policemen and two civilians were killed in the attack. The attack, believed to have been carried out by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, was probably the first instance when cricketers were directly targeted by terrorists.
The Test was called off as the players were evacuated from the Gaddafi stadium and taken to a nearby airbase.
(Image: Reuters)
4. Australia vs Bangladesh (2015)
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It was supposed to be Bangladesh’s first Test series against Australia in nine years. However, the tour was cancelled after an Italian charity worker was shot dead in Dhaka.
Citing a "threat to Australian interests", the tour was abandoned by Cricket Australia. The Test match would have been the team’s first under the captaincy of Steve Smith.
(Image: File Photo)
5. New Zealand vs Bangladesh (2019)
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Not directly hinted at them, but the Bangladesh cricket team narrowly escaped a shooting that took place at a mosque in Christchurch on Friday. Several people were dead and forced the cancellation of a Test match against hosts New Zealand.
The team were on a bus that was pulling up to the Al Noor mosque near Hagley Oval for Friday prayers when the shooting began. Mario Villavarayen, the team's strength and conditioning coach, said it had been a close call.
"I spoke to my counterpart in Bangladesh and we agree its inappropriate to play cricket at this time," NZC Chief Executive David White told TVNZ. "It's quite unbelievable really. We are shocked."
White said he had spoken to the liaison officer with the Bangladesh team and the players were "shocked".
(Image: AFP)
6. Sri Lanka vs New Zealand (1987)
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Before the tour started there was a terrorist bomb attack. New Zealand abandoned their 1987 tour of Sri Lanka following a bombing near their hotel in Colombo in which more than 100 people were killed.
(Image: File Photo)
7. Pakistan vs New Zealand (2002)
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New Zealand had abandoned a tour of Pakistan in May 2002 following a suicide bombing outside their Pearl Continental Hotel in Karachi.
The Pakistan and New Zealand teams were staying in that hotel, and on the morning of the second Test between the two sides, the Black Caps' tour of Pakistan was abandoned.
The New Zealand team left for home on the first available flight, later that night.
(Image: File Photo)
