Zainab Abbas Reveals Her Struggles As A Sports Presenter

The renowned reporter cemented her place in a predominantly male field.

TV presenter Zainab Abbas recalls the struggles she endured as a female reporter for Pakistani sports — a field that has always been predominantly male. The renowned journalist shares her experience of working in a field that is predominantly male.

Zainab’s journey to success has not been an easy. In a recent TED Talk, she shared the challenges she faced as a female sports presenter in Pakistan.


ALSO READ

‘Whatever a Woman Wears is Between Her and Allah,’ says Shoaib Akhter


Her daring discourse at this year’s TEDWomen featured a  session called ‘The missing sportsmanship in sports’. The event  highlighted her journey as Zainab shed light on being a renowned female journalist reporting Pakistani sports — particularly cricket.

Zainab discussed her childhood. Growing up, she shared that she was always interested in playing crickets with her cousins.

“The idea of sportsmanship stems from the fact that sport is generally an equalizer, independent of gender, race, or skin color. It focuses on your talent, skills, strength, and above all, merit,” she remarked.

Zainab first auditioned for a World Cup event in Pakistan. However, the interviewers had doubts about her knowledge of the sports purely on the basis of Zainab’s gender. Despite her hearing impairment, no media training, and gender discrimination, Zainab Abbas became one of the top sports presenter in Pakistan.

“I did not have a mentor, I was not a TV buff and I was just following my dream and passion. When I did enter the field, there were a lot of people who made fun of me because they believed that a woman cannot be talking about sports,” said Zainab.

Zainab also shared that two cricketing legends refused to give her an interview because of her gender. She confessed it was a heartbreaking experience. However, after making a name for herself in the field, the two cricketers respected her worth and accepted her invitation for an interview.

“I think the world was just not prepared. They were not used to seeing a woman taking the lead in this field that has been helmed and represented by men for so many years,” she shared.

In conclusion, she stated that inclusivity is the truest form of sportsmanship. Check out her TEDWomen 2020 session:




ALSO READ

Have We Cracked The Secret To Ushna Shah’s Healthy Hair?