Cricket doubt amid India violence

Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium is due to host Twenty20 matches

Deadly attacks in Mumbai have thrown international cricket schedules into chaos as cricket-mad India prepares to host a major new tournament.

Australian cricket authorities banned its players from heading to India to play in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions' League.

Spinner Shane Warne, captain of Indian contenders Rajasthan Royals, was en route to Mumbai when the attacks began.

English entrants Middlesex have delayed their scheduled flights to Mumbai.

The squad was due to fly to India on Thursday to prepare for the tournament, in which they are scheduled to play on opening day next Wednesday at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium.

Middlesex were booked to stay at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, which has now become the focal point of the ongoing situation in the city.

The hotel, one of the most lavish in Mumbai, is a favourite among visiting cricket teams.

'Holding pattern'

The England national team, which is also in India playing a one-day international series, stayed at the Taj a week ago.

English team managers made no immediate statement about whether the Mumbai attacks would affect the national team's schedule.

The next one-day game against India is due to be played on Saturday in Guwahati. The city is the capital of Assam, a north-eastern state with an ongoing separatist rebellion.

But several high-profile cricketers have already been directly affected by the violence in Mumbai.

Shane Warne is captain of the Rajasthan Royals

Cricket Australia quickly banned its players from all travel to India until the security situation became clearer.

Both the Western Australia and Victoria state teams are taking part in the competition, while Test stars Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey and all-rounder Shane Watson all play for Indian franchises.

"Given the circumstances, Cricket Australia has put an immediate halt on any cricket-related travel to India," Cricket Australia said.

Victoria were scheduled to play their opening two matches of the tournament against Middlesex and Chennai in Mumbai next week.

Western Australia are set to play all three of their matches in Bangalore, while Rajasthan - captained by Shane Warne - were due to play next Friday in Mumbai.

The veteran leg-spinner only discovered the extent of the violence in India when he arrived in Singapore for a stop-over en route to Mumbai.

Coach Darren Berry, travelling with Warne, told the Sydney Morning Herald: "Warney and I got off the plane and got on the wi-fi straight away and got a call from somebody in Australia saying whatever you do, don't go to Mumbai.

"All I can say is that Warney and I are safe. We're in Singapore and we're contemplating our next move. That is all we can do."