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"There is no malice,": Sana Mir clarifies her 'Azad Kashmir' remark during Women's World Cup match

Rajgeeta Yadav

Sana Mir [Source: @Air_Veteran_/X.com]Sana Mir [Source: @Air_Veteran_/X.com]

Former Pakistan women’s cricket captain Sana Mir found herself in the middle of a controversy during the Women’s World Cup match between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Colombo on October 2.

While commentating, Mir spoke about batter Natalia Pervaiz and mentioned that she was from "Kashmir." She quickly corrected herself and said "Azad Kashmir." But the remark spread quickly on social media and drew criticism, as many fans accused her of bringing politics into the game. 

Some even called for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take action, since commentators are expected to remain neutral during global tournaments.

Sana Mir clarifies intent behind her comment

After the backlash, Mir issued a clarification on social media. She explained that she had no political intentions and that her words were part of telling the players’ stories. She said her comment was meant to highlight Pervaiz’s struggles and achievements, similar to how she had also spoken about players from other regions of Pakistan.

Mir wrote, “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."

She also shared a screenshot of the research source she had used, noting that it had since been updated.

“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. There is no malice in my heart or any intention to hurt sentiments," she added.

For unversed, Sana Mir is widely respected as one of Pakistan’s greatest women cricketers. Over her career, she played 120 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 106 T20 matches, and captained Pakistan in more than 130 games.