It will take time to overcome Christchurch horror: Tamim Iqbal

The Bangladesh team has returned after the tour was called off in the aftermath of the attacks.

Bangladesh opening batsman Tamim Iqbal said he believes it will not be easy for the national cricket team to overcome the shock of narrowly escaping Friday's shooting in a New Zealand mosque. At least 49 people died in attacks on two mosques in the city of Christchurch during Friday prayers, in what appeared to be the worst act of terror against Muslims in a Western country.

“It will certainly take some time for us to get out of it (the state of shock) after the experience we had here,” Tamim told reporters at Christchurch airport moments before the team left for Bangladesh on Saturday.

At least 17 members of the Bangladesh cricket team, including Tamim, drove up to the Masjid al Noor in a bus to join Friday prayers when the mosque came under attack by a gunman. Team manager Khaled Mashud said the players and staff on the bus watched as blood-soaked victims staggered from the building.

They stayed in the bus for eight to 10 minutes before leaving it sensing danger, according to Mashud.

The Bangladesh cricket team was in Christchurch for their third and final Test of a three-match series, which was scheduled to begin Saturday. The Test was promptly cancelled and the Bangladesh Cricket Board and New Zealand authorities arranged for the team to leave the country at the earliest possible time.

The Bangladesh team has returned after the tour was called off in the aftermath of the attacks.

“It is better that we are returning... because everyone's family is worried. I just hope after returning home we can overcome it (trauma) with the passing of time,” Tamim said before the team left Christchurch.