Zainab Abbas, Pakistani cricket commentator, departs from India amidst negative response

Zainab Abbas, a Pakistani presenter covering the Cricket World Cup in India, has left the country following backlash over alleged derogatory posts on social media. Abbas, who was part of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) digital team covering the event, left on Monday amidst claims that she was forced to go. However, an ICC spokesperson stated that she had left for personal reasons. The tense relations between India and Pakistan, who are set to play a match on Saturday, have further escalated the situation. A lawyer in Delhi lodged a police complaint against Abbas last week for her alleged old tweets, leading to a significant backlash on social media. The complaint accused her of posting derogatory and provocative posts mocking India and the Hindu religion. Screenshots of the posts, which have since been deleted, were shared on social media in both India and Pakistan. While some users criticized Abbas, others defended her and questioned the authenticity of the posts shared in her name.