NEW DELHIThe World Squash Doubles Championship scheduled to be held in India later this month has been postponed in response to security concerns after last weeks terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

The tournament was scheduled for Dec. 15-20 in the southern city of Chennai, but the World Squash Federation decided to postpone the event after Australia announced Tuesday it would not be sending its players, Indian squash federations secretary, Srivatsan Subramaniam said Wednesday.

Australia withdrew their players. More withdrawals would clearly reduce the value of the event to less than proper world championship status, George Mieras, WSF championship panel director said in a letter to the organizers.

I consulted with the management committee of WSF who told me to put first and foremost the safety of all players entered, Mieras added.

The tournament will be rescheduled for 2009, Mieras said.

The postponement comes as the England and Wales Cricket Board is considering returning its team to India for two test matches, a week after it went home midway through the limited-overs series in the wake of the Mumbai attacks.