Former Pakistan cricketer and commentator Sana Mir has defended her use of the term "Azad Kashmir" to describe the origins of Pakistan women's team player Natalia Pervaiz, insisting it was a neutral reference to her hometown and not a political statement. The controversy erupted during Mir's live commentary on Thursday's Women's ODI World Cup match between Pakistan and Bangladesh, where she highlighted Pervaiz's journey from the region—illegally occupied by Pakistan and known internationally as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)—to playing in Lahore. The remark quickly ignited social media outrage, with Indian users accusing Mir of deliberate provocation amid longstanding Indo-Pak territorial disputes.
Mir, a veteran of 120 ODIs who captained Pakistan from 2009 to 2017, described Pervaiz as hailing from "Kashmir, Azad Kashmir", noting her need to travel to Lahore for most domestic cricket. "Natalia, who comes from Kashmir, Azad Kashmir, plays a lot of cricket in Lahore. "She has to come to Lahore to play most of her cricket there," Mir said on the broadcast.
The phrasing, echoing Pakistan's official nomenclature for PoK, drew sharp rebukes online, with hashtags like #BoycottSanaMir trending as critics argued it ignored India's claim over the entire Jammu and Kashmir region. Pervaiz, 25, a middle-order batter and part-time bowler from Muzaffarabad in PoK, has represented Pakistan in 15 ODIs, including scoring a half-century against the West Indies in 2024.
In a lengthy X post late Thursday, Mir expressed dismay at the escalation, attaching a screenshot from ESPNcricinfo—her primary research source—listing Pervaiz's birthplace as Azad Kashmir. "It's unfortunate how things are being blown out of proportion... My comment... was only meant to highlight the challenges she faced coming from a certain region in Pakistan and her incredible journey," she wrote.
Mir emphasised that she made similar mentions for players from other Pakistani areas during the game, framing it as standard storytelling to celebrate resilience. "Please don’t politicise it... There is no malice in my heart or any intention to hurt sentiments," she added, lamenting the need for public clarification in sports commentary. The ICC, which oversees the World Cup, has not commented, but the incident underscores the sensitivity of Kashmir references in cricket broadcasts.
Also Read: Amanjot Kaur’s Comeback: “A Wounded Lion Steps Back to Leap Further”
The backlash unfolds against a backdrop of frosty India-Pakistan cricketing ties, exacerbated by the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 14 civilians and prompted India's Operation Sindoor—a precision strike on terrorist camps in PoK. The men's teams' Asia Cup 2025 final saw India refuse handshakes and trophy presentations from Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi, a senior Pakistani official. The women's squads are set to clash in a group-stage match on October 5 in Colombo, with the Indian team likely to mirror the protocol, avoiding post-match courtesies.
As the tournament progresses—Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 45 runs on Thursday—the episode highlights how geopolitical fault lines continue to infiltrate the sport, potentially overshadowing on-field narratives of skill and sportsmanship.
Also Read: India Push For Dominance Against West Indies on 1st Test Day 2