Focusing on work and avoiding controversies: Zainab Abbas' secret to success

Abbas revealed what it takes to be a female sports presenter in Instagram tell-all

Sports presenter Zainab Abbas treated her fans to a fun Q&A session via her Instagram stories, shedding light on what it takes to be a female sports presenter in Pakistan, as well as the struggles of juggling motherhood and work.

A fan and aspiring sports presenter asked Abbas, “How does someone from a non-cricket background make it into [the] world of presenting cricket? Especially a girl?”

Explaining to a fan that while she does not have a formal degree in sports journalism, she would recommend any aspirants to go for one. Abbas wrote, “Good question! I didn’t [get] a degree in sports journalism, but [I] would highly recommend [it] if you can.”

Revealing that she discovered her love for the profession later on in life, Abbas added, “Realised I wanted to do this much later [since] I was passionate about cricket. [In addition to a] degree, would [recommend to get] as much experience as you can… by doing short gigs. Digital is huge now! One opportunity leads to another.”

After a fan asked Abbas whether sports journalism is a comfortable career option for women, she responded saying, “It is if you stay focused on your work and [don’t] respond to silly controversies.”

Speaking about how she wishes for more females to join the largely male-dominated profession, Abbas shared, “I wish to see more girls for sure! Already have a great girl gang with Urooj, Sana, Marina and Erin.”

She added in a separate post on the possibility of a female PSL team, “Wouldn’t that be amazing!”

Abbas, who welcomed a baby girl recently, shared that she will not be taking part in a large part of PSL7 due to her little one. She wrote, “I’m only joining in the last week of HBL PSL7. [I] have a seven-week-old to attend to.”

On juggling work and motherhood and how she manages to get things done, she reflected, “There’s nothing that can replace the feeling of being a mom, however, balance and family support is key! Not saying I’m the perfect one by any standards.”

The sports presenter also shared a few of the most memorable moments of her career, writing, “India vs Pak CT17, covering the World Cup for ICC, working for Sky Sports for the hundred, [the were] all great experiences!”