On Monday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) refuted claims that Pakistani sports presenter Zainab Abbas was deported from India.
Currently, Zainab Abbas is in Dubai. She was a member of the World Cup 2023 broadcast team, and her departure from the country was attributed to “personal reasons.”
Some media reports suggested that her departure was prompted by “security concerns” following a complaint filed in Delhi last week by a local lawyer. The complaint accused her of posting “derogatory” tweets targeting the Hindu faith in the past.
The complaint was based on screenshots of posts attributed to an account with Abbas’ name in the Twitter handle on the micro-blogging site X (formerly Twitter) dating back to 2014.
The complainant had additionally requested the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against the presenter under various sections of the law. This was in connection with alleged “disparaging remarks about Hinduism and anti-India statements,” as reported.
Abbas was unveiled as one of the presenters for this year’s World Cup earlier this month. She expressed great enthusiasm about the opportunity to travel to India when the announcement was initially made.
Zainab Abbas Set to Make Her Mark at the ICC World Cup 2023
The presenter expressed her curiosity about exploring India. Despite being neighboring countries, India and Pakistan have limited cultural exchanges due to strained relations.
“There has always been a sense of curiosity about what lies on the other side—more cultural similarities than differences. While we may be rivals on the field, there’s camaraderie off the field. We share the same language, and a mutual love for art, and both countries boast a billion people. I’m here to represent, create content, and bring in expertise from the best in the business,” said Zainab.
Meanwhile, according to Samaa TV, Abbas, citing unnamed sources, “categorically denied the allegations” and asserted that she was “unjustly targeted.
This situation is significant because the International Cricket Council (ICC) had chosen Zainab Abbas as the official presenter for the ICC Cricket World Cup.