New Delhi: Former Pakistan women’s cricket team captain and current commentator Sana Mir found herself embroiled in a controversy following a comment she made during the Women’s World Cup 2025. While on air during a match between Pakistan and Bangladesh she referred to Pakistani player Natalia Pervaiz as being from “Azad Kashmir,” which drew sharp criticism from Indian social media users. In response to the growing backlash Mir has issued a detailed clarification.
The incident occurred when Mir was discussing the career struggles of Pakistani all-rounder Natalia Pervaiz during her commentary spell. She remarked “…Natalia who comes from Kashmir, Azad Kashmir has to travel to Lahore to play most of her cricket.”
Her comment immediately sparked an uproar on social media. Indian fans labeled it a political statement and demanded action from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Users pointed out that the region referred to as ‘Azad Kashmir’ in Pakistan is officially considered Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) by India and using such terminology on an international broadcast is against the spirit of the game.
Seeing the matter escalate, Sana Mir took to the social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to present her clarification. She wrote “It’s unfortunate how things are being sensationalized, putting undue pressure on people associated with the sport. I had no intention of making any political statement.”
She further added “My comment about a Pakistani player’s hometown was meant only to highlight the challenges of the region and her incredible journey. It’s part of the storytelling we do as commentators. Please do not politicize it. I have no ill will in my heart nor any intention to hurt anyone’s feelings.”
To support her stance Mir also shared a screenshot from a popular cricket website from where she sources player information. She pointed out that her reference was based on the source, which mentioned the player’s birthplace as ‘Azad Kashmir’. Despite Mir’s clarification the debate on the issue continues, highlighting the sensitivities that exist beyond the cricket field between India and Pakistan.
