The Cornered Tigers Cricket Club team was formed by just months after 15 March, for those affected by the attacks. Photo: Supplied
Five years on from the Christchurch terror attacks, a group of survivors and family members have found a way forward together by forming a cricket team.
Yasir Amin is the captain of the Cornered Tigers Cricket Club. He was walking with his father Mohammad Amin to Al Noor Mosque on 15 March when his father was shot in the back by the attacker.
Mohammad survived and has recovered.
As part of moving on from the tragedy, Yasir Amin got involved with the Christchurch Cornered Tigers Cricket Club. The team was formed by another survivor just months after 15 March, for those affected by the attacks. Yasir is now the captain.
Yasir Amin, captain of the Cornered Tigers Cricket Club. Photo: Supplied
He told RNZ First Up his dad had fully recovered physically from the shooting, and he often came to watch the Cornered Tigers play.
Amin said after 15 March, a friend arranged a meeting with all the cricket players around Christchurch who were related in some way to the mosque shootings.
"Before that, we were playing for different teams, in different areas of the Christchurch. He said: 'Look, we need each other and we need to be strong... why don't we have our own team and let's play together, let's make it a family sport.' So that was the idea behind it.
"It was very important because we were mentally disturbed, physically disturbed, very tired. We were close friends, but we were living in different parts of Christchurch. So I think at the time, cricket was really, really good for us to have a platform to discuss, to share ideas."
In five years, Amin says the players have come a long way from the trauma of the terror attacks.
"It's still in the memories, but it's not in discussion anymore. It's like a bad dream, which has passed away.
"We cannot live with it for our whole life. We have to let it go. That's why I'm saying it's like a bad dream, and now it's the daytime. It's a beautiful day for us and for our families. For our children."
The team members are all originally from Pakistan, and were inspired by the legendary 1992 World Cup winner Imran Khan, who named his team the Cornered Tigers.
The team have been moving up divisions through the years, but this year a couple of players have moved to Australia.
"It's a really good team and many players wanted to play with us. Because it's not a team, it's a community. It's a family, and our families come together to watch the game, to enjoy the game. It's really nice."
Amin has advice for the Black Caps, who recently lost another test to Australia.
"They have something in their mind. They need to be strong, mentally strong and they need to believe we can win."
