Former Pakistan women’s cricket captain, Sana Mir, has expressed disappointment after she faced criticisms from India for her comments that one of the Pakistan players in the team for the Women’s World Cup “comes from Kashmir, Azad Kashmi”.
Mir, who is part of the commentary panel for the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup, made the comments during a match between Pakistan and Bangladesh on Thursday.
While discussing Pervaiz’s background, she stated, “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 reactions from neighbouring country on social media, with Indian supporters urging the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to remove Mir from the broadcast, accusing her of politicising the game.
“What caught even more attention was that Mir initially said ‘Kashmir’, before correcting herself to say ‘Azad Kashmir’,” Indian media reported.
In response, Mir took to social media, expressing her disappointment over the exaggerated reactions.
“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 a public level,” she wrote in a tweet.
She went on to clarify that her comment was never intended to be political but was merely meant to highlight the challenges faced by the player. “My comment about a Pakistan player’s hometown was only meant to highlight the challenges she faced coming from a certain region in Pakistan and her incredible journey. It is part of the storytelling we do as commentators, highlighting where the players come from,” Mir explained.
She added that she had made similar remarks about other players from different regions, reinforcing her point that it was not a political statement.
Mir further urged against politicizing the matter, stating, “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.”
In her tweet, Mir also attached a screenshot of the research she often uses for player backgrounds, explaining that she refers to multiple sources for accurate information.
“I realise that they have changed it by now, but this is what I was referring to,” she said, emphasizing that her intention was solely to share the inspiring journey of a young cricketer from Pakistan.
