Amid the ongoing controversies between India and Pakistan in cricket, the Women's World Cup has also been stained with one.
Former Pakistan captain and commentator Sana Mir became the center of controversy
during the ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025 after making a comment referring to Pakistan cricketer Natalia Pervaiz's background as being from "Azad Kashmir. "
The incident occurred during the Pakistan vs Bangladesh match, where Sana Mir said, "Natalia, who comes from Kashmir, Azad Kashmir, plays in Lahore, a lot of cricket. She has to come to Lahore to play most of her cricket there. "
This comment immediately stirred a backlash on social media, particularly from Indian fans, who objected to the terminology used by Mir, pointing out that the correct term is Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and not Azad Kashmir. The fans demanded stern action against her, accusing her of politicizing the broadcast on live TV.
Responding to the uproar, Sana Mir issued a clarification late on October 2, 2025, on her social media profile, stating that her comment was harmless and had been blown out of proportion.
She explained, "My comment about a Pakistan player's hometown was only meant to highlight the challenges she faced of coming from a certain region in Pakistan and her incredible journey. It is part of the storytelling we do as commentators as where the players come from. "
"I did that today for two other players coming from other regions, too. Please don't politicise it. As a commentator on the World Feed, we are meant to focus on the sport, teams, and players, highlighting inspiring stories of grit and perseverance," her social media post added.
Sana Mir further emphasized that there was no malice or political intent in her words. She lamented the situation, saying, "It's unfortunate how things are being blown out of proportion and people in sports are being subjected to unnecessary pressure. It is sad that this requires an explanation at public level. "
It's unfortunate how things are being blown out of proportion and people in sports are being subjected to unnecessary pressure. It is sad that this requires an explanation at public level.
- Sana Mir ثناء میر (@mir_sana05) October 2, 2025
My comment about a Pakistan player's hometown was only meant to highlight the challenges… pic.twitter.com/G722fLj17C
She also shared a screenshot of the research source she used for her comment, noting that the site had since updated the information.
Her clarification sought to redirect focus back to the sporting narrative rather than political contention, but the incident underscored the sensitive nature of geopolitical terms within sports broadcasting during an international tournament co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with Pakistan playing matches in Sri Lanka due to ongoing tensions between cricket boards.
