Cricket News

Zainab Abbas breaks silence over reports about her leaving ODI World Cup 2023 midway due to her alleged old anti-India posts

Published on October 13, 2023

The well-renowed Pakistani sports presenter Zainab Abbas has finally broken her silence after she left the host country, India, in the first half of the ODI World Cup 2023. Notably, the 35-year-old has left India after staying in Hyderabad to cover the first two games for Pakistan’s team. The Apex Cricket Council has allowed her to travel to India to cover the matches as she is part of Digital Insider in the absence of Sanjana Ganesan.

Meanwhile, some reports claim that she has been deported from India because of her old anti-Hindu tweets. Following the same, the great sports presenter faced strong backlash and humiliation from social media, which forced her to leave India. However, the Apex Cricket Council clarified that she has left India owing to some personal reasons while claiming that she has not been deported by India.

However, the Pakistani TV host took to Twitter after reaching his country, Pakistan, safely and revealed the real reason behind her leaving India ahead of the India-Pakistan clash. She clarified in her post that she was not asked to leave India, nor was she deported from the host country, either by any officials from the Apex Cricket Council or the Indian Cricket Board.

“My daily interactions with everyone during my stay were kind, cheerful, and with a sense of familiarity – just as I had expected. I was neither asked to leave nor was I deported. However, I felt intimidated and scared by the reaction that was unfolding online. And even though there was no immediate threat to my safety, my family, and friends from both sides of the border were concerned. I needed some space and time to reflect on what had transpired,” Zainab wrote on X.

There is no excuse or space for such language: Zainab Abbas

Meanwhile, the Lahore-born host reveals that she is extremely saddened and upset by the social media post following the strong backlash, especially from Indians. Moreover, Zainab Abbas has apologized to the fans who were offended by her post. In addition, the well-known host also thanked her close friends who reached out to her during challenging times.

“I understand and deeply regret the hurt caused by the posts that were circulated. I wish to make clear that they do not represent my values or who I am as a person today. There is no excuse or space for such language, and I sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended. Also, I am truly grateful to those who were concerned and reached out during this challenging time,” she concluded.

Look at her tweet: