WELLINGTON, Apr 01 (Agencies): New Zealand Cricket have cancelled their under-19 team's scheduled tour of Bangladesh in the wake of last month's mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch.
The decision had been reached with agreement of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, NZC Chairman Greg Barclay said in a statement on Monday.
Barclay added that both NZC and the BCB had agreed that proceeding with the April tour would be "insensitive and inappropriate" so soon after the shooting that left 50 people dead.
Several of the victims of the March 15 attack were originally from Bangladesh.
The south Asian nation's senior men's cricket team also narrowly avoided being caught up in the shooting as a number of their players headed to one of the mosques for Friday prayers before the third test against New Zealand.
The third test, which had been scheduled to start at nearby Hagley Oval the following day, was cancelled and the Bangladesh team left the country.
"We have conveyed our deep sense of regret over the circumstances leading to this mutual decision, and the BCB have been both understanding and generous in response," Barclay said.
"NZC have nothing but respect for the BCB and believe this development has only served to bring our countries closer together, and to strengthen our bond through cricket."
Meanwhile, West Indies A tour to Bangladesh also has been cancelled due to financial crisis, Cricbuzz has learnt. The visitors were scheduled to play three four-day matches and five one-day games.
"West Indies 'A' team was slated to visit Bangladesh in the upcoming month but they informed us that they will not come to play the series because of their financial crisis," a BCB official confirmed to the online sports portal.
BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury, however, refused to reveal the real reason for the cancellation of the tour.
"They have got some internal problem and it is not wise on my part to disclose it. A board can face some kind of crisis at certain point of times and it can happen to any board and we should not judge them on this basis," he said.
© 2026 - All Rights with The Financial Express
