Former Pakist Ladies’s cricket participant Sana Mir may be seen on this picture dated April 30, 2023. — Fb/mir.sana05
Former Pakistan captain Sana Mir has responded to Indian criticism over her reference to “Azad Kashmir” throughout commentary in Pakistan’s ICC Ladies’s World Cup 2025 conflict towards Bangladesh in Colombo.
The incident occurred on the R Premadasa Stadium, the place Mir, whereas talking about Pakistan all-rounder Natalia Pervaiz, initially stated “Kashmir” earlier than correcting herself to “Azad Kashmir.”
Mir took to X (previously Twitter) to situation an announcement, lamenting that her remarks have been blown out of proportion “and people in sports are being subjected to unnecessary pressure”.
She clarified her phrases have been by no means meant as a political comment however as a part of the storytelling that commentators do by highlighting gamers’ backgrounds.
“It’s unfortunate how things are being blown out of proportion […] My comment about a Pakistan player’s hometown was only meant to highlight the challenges she faced […] There is no malice in my heart or any intention to hurt sentiments,” Mir wrote.
She added that as a commentator on the World Feed her function was to deal with the game and gamers, showcasing inspiring tales of grit and perseverance, not politics.
To help her assertion, Mir additionally shared a screenshot from ESPNcricinfo, displaying Natalia Pervaiz’s profile itemizing her birthplace as “Bandala, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.” Mir defined this was her supply of data, although she famous the positioning has since been up to date.
The clarification comes at a delicate time in cricket relations between Pakistan and India. The boys’s Asia Cup 2025 event noticed India’s males’s workforce refuse handshakes with Pakistani gamers, whereas the trophy presentation was overshadowed by India’s refusal to just accept medals from ACC and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.
With Pakistan’s girls taking part in all their matches in Sri Lanka on account of PCB-BCCI tensions, the controversy round Mir’s remark has additional highlighted how cricket continues to be entangled with politics.
Bangladesh gained the match by seven wickets, leaving Pakistan struggling to remain afloat within the group stage of the Ladies’s World Cup.
