Middlesex Axe Stint In Mumbai

Udal - plans cancelled.

Shaun Udal has confirmed Middlesex will not be travelling to Mumbai for the Twenty20 Champions League, after terrorists launched a series of deadly attacks in the Indian city.

Terrorists opened fire at several locations within the city, and reports have indicated more than 80 people have been killed and at least 200 wounded.

It is a dire situation which has put not only the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League - involving Middlesex - but also England's ongoing tour of India in doubt.

Udal and his team were due to fly out to Mumbai this morning, and their first match of the lucrative competition was due to take place in Mumbai a week today against Australian side Victoria Bushrangers.

But Udal confirmed they will not fly out as planned in the wake of the attacks.

"All we know is that our flights have been cancelled in the morning," Udal told Sky Sports News.

"We were due to fly out from Heathrow at 10 o'clock and we had a call tonight to say that those plans were now cancelled."

Udal added that the three group matches due to take place in Mumbai will be moved to Bangalore.

"We heard a couple of hours ago in light of the horrific things that have happened, that leg has been changed from Mumbai to Bangalore," he said.

The terrorists launched the attacks at several sites around the city - including two luxury hotels, the Oberoi and the Taj Mahal Palace.

The Taj Mahal Palace was besieged by fire, and it has been reported that hostages are being held in the five-star hotel.

Middlesex were due to stay at the hotel for their first match of the competition, and Udal is understandably relieved they were not caught up in the attacks - as they might have been, had they flown out earlier.

"What has made it particularly disturbing is the fact that we were going to stop at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel," said the ex-England off-spinner.

"If we had gone 24 hours earlier then that would be the place where we would have been - so that's really brought it home.

"That would have been the Middlesex team holed up there. It could have been us."

Udal, saddened at the "catastrophic" events, insists he and his side will travel to India only if their safety can be assured.

"The main thing is that people are going on a trip out there with their families, and you just want to know that the people that go out there will come back," he said.

"If we are told it is safe to go then we will go. We want to play, but there are more serious issues to consider.

"We have to consider all the options. I'm sure Middlesex will be in conversations with the Foreign Office throughout the night.

"If we are told everything is safe then we will go out there and entertain the Indian people and the people watching on TV.

"I hope we'll make the right decisions - and they will be made as soon as possible."

England stayed at the Taj Mahal Palace three weeks ago in the run-up to their seven-match one-day international series with India.

Kevin Pietersen's team are currently in Cuttack - where they lost their latest one-day international yesterday - but are due to play the final game of their two-match Test series in Mumbai in just over three weeks.

England spokesman Andrew Walpole reports the team will consult with the Government before making any decisions about the future of the future.

He said: "We will be guided by the Foreign Office and will await developments. We need to get a clearer idea of what the situation is before we react further."