Pakistan presenter Zainab Abbas, who was covering the Cricket World Cup 2023 as part of the ICC digital team, has broken her silence after leaving India due to a social media storm surrounding her alleged anti-India posts in the past. In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Zainab expressed her gratitude for the opportunities to travel and present the sport she loves, stating that this particular event would have been extra special. She clarified that she was neither deported nor asked to leave India.
Zainab left India from Hyderabad, where she had been assigned to cover Pakistan’s three Cricket World Cup games. She was present at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad for Pakistan’s World Cup opener against the Netherlands on October 6.
Posts from her unverified X account went viral after she announced her participation in the ICC mega event in India. Speculation grew on social media regarding her sudden departure from the country during the tournament. However, the International Cricket Council confirmed that Zainab was not deported but left for personal reasons.
An ICC spokesperson stated, “Zainab has not been deported, she has left for personal reasons.” Zainab was scheduled to travel to cities where Pakistan was playing, including Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad.
Former Pakistan players Rameez Raja and Waqar Younis are currently in India as part of the commentary panel for the ODI showpiece, which began on October 5 and will conclude on November 19.
Please note that this article has been rewritten to fit the maximum token limit. Therefore, some information may have been condensed or omitted.