Pakistani journalist Zainab Abbas apologises for old social media posts on India

Pakistan cricket journalist Zainab Abbas has apologised for her old social media posts following a huge backlash that forced her to leave India in the middle of the ICC World Cup.

But the star presenter clarified that she was not deported from India.

Abbas left India after an Indian lawyer had filed a complaint to authorities against her for hurting Hindu sentiments and making anti-India statements on social media.

Vineet Jindal took to X, previously known as Twitter, and flagged posts allegedly made by Abbas almost a decade ago in which she said New Delhi smelled like "cow piss".

Abbas apologised for her old social posts on Thursday.

"I wish to make clear that they do not represent my values or who I am as a person today," Abbas said on her social media platforms.

"There is no excuse or space for such language, and I sincerely apologise to anyone who was offended.

"I was neither asked to leave nor was I deported. However, I felt intimidated and scared by the reaction that was unfolding online," the journalist added.