The NSIC exhibition centre had not been given its mandatory clearance certificate, police said, as local media reported that far more tickets had been sold than the capacity of the venue.

"The organisers failed to explain as to how they would manage law and order inside the ground and traffic outside," police officer V. Chahal told AFP.

"We cannot risk people's lives. Everything has to be in place before the event begins."

He said 20,000 people had been expected to attend, but was unable to give the venue's official capacity.

Adams is on a tour of India, Bangladesh and Nepal and will play two songs at the opening ceremony of the cricket World Cup in Dhaka on February 17.