'Hope Tigers feel safe to return'

New Zealand's sports minister Grant Robertson hoped that Bangladesh's cricketers will feel safe to return to New Zealand after the team narrowly survived a mosque shooting on March 15 in Christchurch.

During an award ceremony evening organised by New Zealand Cricket, the sports minister informed that he had written to the Zahid Ahsan Russel, the youth and sports minister of Bangladesh, expressing relief at the cricketers' safe return.

The Bangladesh team are scheduled to visit New Zealand again for a T20 series in 2020.

"Violence and hatred shown by one individual must not be allowed to destroy the friendship and respect that the New Zealand and Bangladesh cricket teams and our nations have long shared," he was quoted as saying by Stuff.co.nz. Hope that in time the players and supporters will feel safe enough to return and I know that they will be welcomed with open arms."

Kiwi captain Kane Williamson reiterated that cricket had become insignificant following the events of last Friday, when 50 people were killed.

"There was an opposition team we'd spent time with on the park who have pretty much witnessed what went on and felt threatened in a place you want anybody to feel comfortable."