Ex-Pak Cricketer Sana Mir Responds to Backlash Over ‘Azad Kashmir’ Remark: “No Malice in My Heart”

Former Pakistan cricketer Sana Mir faced a wave of criticism on social media for referring to the hometown of player Natalia Pervaiz as “Azad Kashmir” during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup match between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Colombo.

Responding to the backlash, Sana took to her official X account, describing the situation as “unfortunate” and emphasizing that her remarks were meant to highlight the challenges faced by players from different regions of Pakistan. She shared a screenshot of Natalia’s ESPNCricinfo profile and stated, “There is no malice in my heart or any intention to hurt sentiments.”

Sana further clarified, “It’s unfortunate how things are being blown out of proportion and people in sports are being subjected to unnecessary pressure. 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.” She added that she had similarly highlighted other players from various regions and urged fans not to politicize the issue, emphasizing the focus of commentary should remain on sport, teams, and inspiring stories.

The controversy arose when Natalia Pervaiz came to bat, and Sana Mir commented, “…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 in Lahore a lot of cricket. She has to come to Lahore to play most of her cricket there.” The region is referred to by India as Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The video of the commentary went viral, attracting criticism from several social media users, some urging the ICC and BCCI to remove her from the commentator panel. One X user wrote, “What the hell is ‘Azaad Kashmir’ @ICC @BCCI? Using this on a global stage is outrageous… Ban Sana Mir.”

In the match, Bangladesh restricted Pakistan to 129/38.3 overs, with Shorna Akter taking 3/5 in 3.3 overs. Rubya Haider starred in the run chase with 54 off 77 balls, securing a seven-wicket win for Bangladesh with 113 balls to spare.

India is set to face Pakistan in a high-octane clash in Colombo on Sunday.