Former Pakistan women’s captain Sana Mir has defended herself facing criticism in India for describing a teammate as coming from Azad Kashmir during an ICC Women’s World Cup match commentary. Mir, now a Hall of Famer and part of the ICC commentary panel, said her words were being misinterpreted and urged critics not to politicise the issue.
Mir issued a statement after receiving backlash from neighbouring India over saying that one of the Pakistan players included in the team for the Women’s World Cup belonged to Azad Kashmir, saying that things were being “blown out of proportion” and calling for it not to be politicised.
The comment that sparked controversy
During Pakistan’s loss to Bangladesh in Colombo, Mir said about batter Natalia Pervaiz: “A lot of these players are new, Natalia — who comes from Kashmir, Azad Kashmir — plays in Lahore. She has to come to Lahore to play most of her cricket there,”. The remark quickly drew outrage on Indian social media, with users tagging the ICC and BCCI, demanding Mir’s removal for “politicising the broadcast.”
The Women’s World Cup is officially being hosted by India, while Pakistan is playing its matches in Colombo as per a hybrid model. Mir is part of the ICC’s commentary panel for the Women’s World Cup.
‘Please don’t politicise it’
Responding on X, Mir, who in June became the first female cricketer in Pakistan to be inducted into the ICC’s Hall of Fame, said she was simply highlighting a player’s journey. “It’s unfortunate how things are being blown out of proportion. It is part of the storytelling we do as commentators… there is no malice in my heart,” she wrote, sharing ESPNcricinfo’s listing of Pervaiz’s hometown as Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Tensions spilling into cricket
The row comes weeks after political frictions overshadowed the men’s Asia Cup, when Indian players refused handshakes with Pakistani rivals. The Indian side also refused to accept the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from ACC President and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, turning the final into a political standoff, overshadowing Pakistan’s spirited performance.
The controversy came amid fresh India–Pakistan hostilities, with New Delhi linking cricket to recent military tension, a move widely criticised for politicising sports.
Pakistan condemned India’s behaviour as disrespectful to the game, stressing that cricket should unite rather than inflame tensions between the two neighbours.
