Whether she is commenting on a match, interviewing a cricketer after a match, or interacting with sportspersons and experts on a show, Zainab Abbas always catches your attention. With her expansive knowledge of the game, strengthened over years, and her positive but realistic takes on everything cricket, Zainab has reshaped cricket journalism with a radiance that is uniquely her own. Whenever I see her thousand-watt smile lighting up a screen, I have an almost identical response: what lies behind the luminosity of her face is her unadulterated love for cricket.
With her commitment to excel at all she does, Zainab—the 33-year-old new mother—is one of our cricket world’s most sought-after presenters and TV hosts. Her 2.1 million Twitter followers would agree. Zainab’s eight-year long journey of being part of the sport that she finds endlessly exciting and is so authentically at home with is a fascinating insight into the power of hard work and linear determination to turn your love into a successful career full of possibilities.
Zainab’s list of achievements is stellar: first Pakistani female presenter to work in international sports broadcasting; first Pakistani host to work with the International Cricket Council (ICC), in the 2019 World Cup; first Pakistani female to work for Sky News; presenter for Pakistan Super League, T10, Cricingif, Ten Sports, Star Sports, and Sony; host of Cricket Dewangi on Dunya News; host of web series Sawal Cricket Ka; and a regular guest at BBC’s Test Match Special. As a sports commentator, Zainab has also written articles for Dawn and Dunya News.
I asked sports presenter and TV host Zainab Abbas a few questions:
Mehr Tarar: Your love for cricket, what is your earliest memory of your fascination with cricket?
Zainab Abbas: My earliest memory would be that of playing cricket in the backyard of my house, or in the driveway. Back in the day, we didn’t have iPads and other technology to keep us company, we used to mostly play outdoor sports. I remember that sports were an integral part of my life with my family. I lived with my cousins, all of them boys, in a joint family system; I was the only girl. I developed a liking to a lot of things that they were inclined towards, and one of them was cricket. I’ll admit that I was not very good at it, but I definitely enjoyed participating, and more importantly, watching it.
My father used to play cricket at the domestic level, and my mother was a cricket fanatic; love for cricket is in my genes! My earliest memory of watching a cricket match is perhaps the 1999 World Cup. Pakistan was playing Bangladesh or some other country, and I remember, as a child, sitting in the living room, watching it with keen attention.
I also remember being a spectator at many matches at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. At that time, there was no security issues, and it was amazing to watch a cricket game in a stadium.
How did you become interested in sports journalism, a traditionally male-dominated domain in our part of the world?
Multiple factors. I developed interest in cricket because I was surrounded by a group of boys [her cousins] and other family members who were cricket fanatics. I inherited the passion and the love for the game from my parents.
I feel sports are the best thing in the world, and everyone should be inclined towards one sport or the other. Sports teach you so much—discipline, professionalism. Sports toughen you up while teaching you about strength, and how to face adversity. Sports are also a great leveller. People from all kinds of backgrounds play cricket, and you end up learning so much. I truly believe that sports are a real learning ground, and that was one reason why I was always so fond of cricket. I used to love the challenge that came from playing it.
My interest in cricket was developed at a young age: watching it and reading up on it.
What were the most noticeable obstacles in your journey of becoming a credible and renowned name in cricket journalism?
You cannot just dress up, look the part, and expect people to respect you as somebody who understands the game.
The biggest obstacle is gender stereotyping that happens in our country—that a woman cannot talk about sports. A woman does not know cricket, she does not understand the game. It’s so easy to say, ‘Oh, she is just a pretty face.’ It was always my aim to change that perception. I wanted people to understand that there were girls and women who had an understanding of the game. It takes time. You cannot just dress up, look the part, and expect people to respect you as somebody who understands the game. By no means I’m saying that I’m a cricket pundit, but it must be understood that to be a good cricket presenter, it’s a basic requirement to have a solid know-how of the game. Changing the perceptions was the biggest challenge.
Insecurities and jealousies also exist within our cricket setup That never changes. Some people become competitive, and in the beginning, you face false allegations of ‘plagiarizing of content.’
With my hard work I have managed to overcome every adversity. All my life I have been very focused as a person, and in my professional life too, I am very focused and dedicated to my work. I don’t pay heed to any silly controversy; I refrain from even commenting on it. I have a very single-minded way of working: I just focus on my work and not pay attention to anything inconsequential. That is the key for longevity in my profession, any profession.
Other than these external challenges I also have a personal one. I have deafness in my left ear, and that becomes a problem when you wish to be a part of the world of broadcasting and live TV. But I have managed to work around all these shortcomings. It is the combination of my focus, my passion, and my determination that have driven me to be where I am today.
Please share with the readers some of the best memories of your career so far.
This is a tough one because there are so many great memories. In terms of personal achievements, I would say it was working for the ICC in the 2019 World Cup. Representing Pakistan and being the first Pakistani non-cricketer female to be working for the ICC was an incredible experience. The other one was working for Sky Sports in the UK. I was the first Pakistani, excluding cricketers, to have that privilege. I hope to work with these organizations again as my time with them was utterly amazing.
In terms of coverage of games, the best one I have covered, to date, which literally brought tears to my eyes, was the 2017 Champions Trophy final between Pakistan and India. Not many people thought Pakistan had any chance whatsoever, but Fakhar Zaman scored a hundred, and Hassan Ali and Mohammad Amir, with that mind blowing spell, really set up the game for Pakistan. Covering that match was a great career highlight for me. I remember getting goosebumps as I couldn’t believe that Pakistan had won against India in a final. And that too in England, which is one of my favourite places to watch cricket.
My cricket journey has been wonderful so far, and I hope to make many, many more beautiful memories.
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