Pakistani presenter Zainab Abbas© X (formerly Twitter)
Pakistani anchor Zainab Abbas, part of the ICC digital team covering the ODI Cricket World Cup, left India on Monday after facing backlash on social media over her alleged anti-India posts in the past, but the governing body of the sport insisted that she left the country for personal reasons. Zainab left India from Hyderabad, where she covered Pakistan’s three World Cup matches in the city. The 35-year-old was 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, formerly Twitter, went viral after she announced she would be covering the match. ICC mega event in India.
As speculation mounted on social media about her departure from India midway through the tournament, the International Cricket Council clarified that Zainab had not been deported from the host country.
“Zainab has not been deported, she left for personal reasons,” an ICC spokesperson told PTI. The presenter, who arrived in Hyderabad last week, was scheduled to travel to cities where Pakistan was scheduled to play, including Bengaluru, Chennai and Ahmedabad.
Former Pakistan players Rameez Raja and Waqar Younis are in India as part of the commentary panel for the ODI showpiece, which started on October 5 and ends on November 19.
The Pakistan cricket team was given a glittering welcome at the Hyderabad airport on September 27, marking its arrival in the country after seven years.
The cricketers, including skipper Babar Azam, have acknowledged the overwhelming support they have received since arriving in India.
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