Australian and English provincial cricket clubs postponed leaving for India for next week's Champions Twenty20 League because of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

Terrorists killed at least 80 people, wounded at least 200 and took Westerners hostage in attacks yesterday across Mumbai, where the tournament was to start next Wednesday. One of the luxury hotels in flames, the Taj Mahal, was where English side Middlesex planned to stay.

Middlesex captain Shaun Udal told Sky Sports News yesterday the team's scheduled flight to Mumbai today was canceled. He said the team was waiting for new travel plans, as the games in Mumbai were reportedly moved to Bangalore.

Cricket Australia halted the departures of the Western Australia and Victoria state teams, along with test stars Mike Hussey, Matthew Hayden and Shane Watson who were playing for Indian teams.

"The state of play at the moment is that we are not expecting to have any really good understanding of what the situation is for the first 12 hours," CA spokesman Peter Young said.

"We are basically on temporary hold while we assess the situation, while we get expert advice and while we consult all of the parties who are involved. I wouldn't expect we would be doing anything for at least the next 12 hours."

Cricket Australia's operations manager Michael Brown, who is a founding member of the Indian tournament and is on its organizing committee, was asked if the tournament might be canceled.

"All options are on the table," Brown said.

The attacks could yet affect the travel of England's test and limited-overs international teams, who are already in India.

England was in Cuttack yesterday, when it lost the fifth one-day international in a seven-game series. The team was due to travel to Guwahati for the next match on Saturday.

"We will be guided by the foreign office and will await developments," England spokesman Andrew Walpole said. "We need to get a clearer idea of what the situation is before we react further."

Mumbai was also the scheduled venue for the second test between England and India starting on December 19.

In the group phase of the eight-team Champions Twenty20 League, Victoria is scheduled to play at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium on December 3 against Middlesex and the following day against India's Chennai Super Kings, who have Australian stars Hayden and Hussey.

Western Australia play all three of its preliminary-round games in Bangalore.

Indian champions the Rajasthan Royals, captained by Australia great Shane Warne and featuring Australia allrounder Watson, play the Sialkot Stallions at Brabourne Stadium on December 5 and two other matches in Bangalore.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily November 27, 2008)