Former Pakistani female cricketer and sports presenter Sana Mir has refused to apologize on Azad Kashmir row in the ongoing Women’s World Cup. The ongoing Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 match between Bangladesh and Pakistan enthralls a huge controversy on Indian social media after Sana Mir referred to Pakistani batter Natalia Parvez as hailing from Kashmir before correcting herself to Azad Kashmir.
Sana is a former captain of the Pakistan team. She triggered outrage on social media with what the Indian social media users are calling it a politically charged comment. The International Cricket Council is yet to state the controversial matter, whereas Sana took to social media and issued a clarification.
Sana, while commentating during the match, had said, “…captaining a very young side. Yes, they have won the qualifiers, but a lot of these players are new. Natalia, who comes from Kashmir, Azad Kashmir, plays a lot of cricket. She has to come to Lahore to play most of her cricket there.”
Read more: India releases a strong statement as clashes leave eight dead in Pakistan administered Azad Kashmir
In a statement on Thursday, Sana Mir expressed her dismay over the excessive backlash on social media regarding her comment. She asked people not to politicize the game as she doesn’t have malice in her heart or any intention to hurt the sentiments.
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.
Azad Kashmir?
ICC Chief @JayShah should ensure that this Pakistani clown becomes jobless forever..pic.twitter.com/AgURTQUHKx
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) October 2, 2025
My comment about a Pakistan player’s hometown was only meant to highlight the challenges… pic.twitter.com/G722fLj17C
— Sana Mir ثناء میر (@mir_sana05) October 2, 2025
“It’s unfortunate how things are being blown out of proportion, and people in sports are being subjected to unnecessary pressure. Sadly, this requires an explanation at the public level. My comment about a Pakistan player’s hometown was only meant to highlight the challenges she faced in coming from a certain region in Pakistan and her incredible journey.
It is part of the storytelling we do as commentators about 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.
This is one thing you can’t say on a global stage. Sana Mir has to go for this. There is nothing called Azaad Kashmir. https://t.co/jSVpP0GLpf
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) October 2, 2025
Horrible. I hope the strictest action is taken against a commentator sitting in Sri Lanka and referring to a person from Azad Kashmir as being from Azad Kashmir. What’s next she will call Indian players Indian and Australians from Australia? Make it stop 🥲 https://t.co/6xNx0iBaCh
— Nawab Hassan Hussein Qureshi (@HtotheQ) October 2, 2025
There is no malice in my heart or any intention to hurt sentiments. I am also attaching the screenshot of where I research most of my players from, whether from Pakistan or any other country. I realise that they have changed it by now, but this is what I was referring to,” said Sana Mir in a statement on X.
The cricketing ties between India and Pakistan have turned as hostile as their diplomatic relations, with tensions spilling over into the sporting arena once again. Following the latest episode of escalation in May 2025, both nations claimed to have inflicted heavy strategic losses during a four-day conflict. Now, the rivalry is visibly playing out on the cricket field.
Sana Mir is from Pakistan and that’s what the region is known as in her country.
It’s the same thing how we say Umran Malik is from Jammu Kashmir.
Sana Mir is not Indian, nor a rep of the Indian government that you’ll expect her to call it POK.
Don’t create forced issues. https://t.co/loyvAKFCHr
— Gaurav Nandan Tripathi | गौरव नंदन त्रिपाठी (@Cric_Beyond_Ent) October 3, 2025
During the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025, Indian players pointedly refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts after a match. The tension escalated further at the tournament’s closing ceremony, when the Indian team declined to receive the winning trophy from ACC Chairman and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, a gesture widely seen as politically charged.
Indian cricket fans, however, have intensified calls for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take disciplinary action against Mir, alleging she violated the ICC’s Code of Conduct for commentators. The ICC has yet to respond publicly, but is reportedly reviewing the matter.