There were incredible scenes in Christchurch yesterday as the Bangladesh cricketers greeted each other heartily after being finally free from isolation following the end of 14-day mandatory quarantine period.
Having tested negative in four tests, the Tigers can now roam freely around the country without having to adhere to any bio-bubble or any other complex health protocol, thanks to the better coronavirus situation in New Zealand.
“Really feeling good as it was for the very first time that we have had such an experience. We were inside the bio-bubble in the past but never spent time isolated. To be honest they (New Zealand authorities) have taken great care of us and we can only thank New Zealand Cricket. It’s not easy to go through such an experience but they tried to make us feel comfortable,” Bangladesh’s ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal told local media in Christchurch before leaving for Queenstown.
The team was expected to reach Queenstown yesterday for a five-day training camp and a practise match as they will start training together as a team for the first time since arriving in New Zealand on February 24.
Former New Zealand spinner and Tigers’ spin bowling consultant Daniel Vettori has already reached Queenstown and will join the team immediately.
March 15 will mark the second anniversary of the horrific mosque attack in Christchurch, which took the lives of 51 people and Bangladesh team, who were in the same city at that time, narrowly survived the fatal shoot-out. Members of the team were supposed to call their Jummah prayers in that mosque that day. “It’s a very sensitive part of my life that took a long time for me to recover from. Those who lost their close ones, we have to pay our respect towards them and pray so that they can remain strong. I don’t want to go deep as the feelings are not good. But New Zealand has always been fascinating to come to, again and again and in future too. Apart from that one incident, New Zealand has always been wonderful,” said Tamim.
