Champions League postponed after Mumbai attacks

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Champions League Twenty20 tournament has been postponed due to security fears following the attacks in Mumbai, organisers of next month's event in India said on Thursday.

"The inaugural edition of the Champions League Twenty20 scheduled to be played in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai from Dec 3-10 has been postponed," they said in a statement.

Teams from England, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa and India had been scheduled to play.

The decision was taken by the league's governing council after consultations with the tournament's three founding board members -- India, Australia and South Africa -- it added.

A league official said fresh dates will be decided next month for the $6 million prizemoney event featuring eight teams from five countries.

English champions Middlesex cancelled their flight to India and South African and Australian boards also delayed travel plans following the attacks in the country's commercial capital.

A Pakistan board official said they would be ready to send their champions, Sialkot Stallions, led by national captain Shoaib Malik, before the postponement.

Many of the teams would have stayed in the Taj Mahal hotel, a focal point of the gun and grenade attacks, which were still continuing into Thursday afternoon.

At least 101 people were killed and 287 wounded in the attacks carried out by Islamist militants.

The last two games in England's one-day series in India have already been called off with next month's two-test series hanging in the balance.