The Bangladesh Cricket Team survived the massacre of the New Zealand City of Christchurch mosque after the attack took place a few minutes before it arrived for Friday prayers, a team spokesman said.

"We were very close, we saw the mosque, we were about 50 yards (about 45 meters) and I think we are very lucky," he said.

Forty-nine people were killed during Friday prayers in two attacks on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in the worst attacks on Muslims in a western country. One of the perpetrators, a far-right Australian, was identified.

"If we were there 3 or 4 minutes ago, we would be inside the mosque."

The attacks targeted the Al Nour Mosque in the center of Christchurch, where 41 people were killed, police said, and a mosque in the city's Lenwood district.

"It looked like a video, and as we usually see in the movies, from the bus we saw people coming out of the mosque," Mashhad said, adding that some 17 Bangladeshi players and managers saw bloodied people coming out of the mosque.

"We stayed on the bus between 8 and 10 minutes, and we kept our heads down in the event of a shooting (towards us)."

According to a 2013 census, 46,000 New Zealanders define themselves as Muslims, accounting for about 1% of the population.

"We later realized that terrorists could come out and attack us all on the bus and there might be a big accident, and then we all decided to leave the bus," he said.

A cricket reporter in Bangladesh posted footage of stunned players walking quickly from the scene to the sirens of police vehicles.

Jalal Yunus, a spokesman for the Bangladesh Cricket Council, said the team was "shocked" but was safe and ordered to stay at the hotel.

"They are safe, but they are psychologically shocked," Yunus told AFP, "We asked the team to stay in the hotel."

"We are very lucky, we never want to see these things happen again, pray for us," said team-mate Tamim Iqbal.

"The security arrangements (at Christchurch) were far from what we are offering, not just here, but wherever we go, we do not get enough protection," said Nazmul Hassan of the Bangladesh Cricket Council.

"They have survived from active shooters, hearts are fluttering and panic is everywhere," chief analyst Srinivas Chandrasekaran said.

Bangladesh's third and final match in Ticit Cricket was scheduled for Saturday in Christchurch against New Zealand before being canceled after the massacre.

As condolences poured out for the victims and their families, New Zealand playmaker, committed Muslim, Sony Bell Williams, said, "My heart beats" and an influential video was posted on social networking sites.

"God willing, whoever kills today will go to heaven," he said, wiping his tears. "It saddens me a lot to get this in New Zealand."

Former New Zealand star Dan Carter, who played for the Crossroads team at Christchurch, said: "Send love to everyone in Christchurch now."

With New Zealand now in the World Cup, "Christchurch, we stand with you at this time."

A minute of silence in New Zealand derby between Chaves and Hararekens, and India captain Verat Kohli described the massacre as "shocking and tragic."

"This confirms what we have always stressed: terrorism has no religion," said the former prime minister and former cricket star Imran Khan.