Former Pakistani cricketer Sana Mir has responded to the controversy surrounding her remarks regarding Kashmir during the Women’s ODI World Cup being held in India. Mir, who is a commentator for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, faced criticism for her comments made during the Pakistan vs. Bangladesh match on October 2nd. The former captain of the Pakistan women’s cricket team issued a 171-word clarification concerning her statement.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated, especially after the Indian army’s operation following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. This strain has also manifested on the cricket field. During the recent Asia Cup 2025, there were no handshakes between the India and Pakistan teams, and the Indian team’s refusal to accept the trophy from PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi in the final further contributed to the controversy. Now, during the Women’s World Cup, Sana Mir’s commentary has brought Kashmir into the spotlight.
During the Women’s World Cup match against Bangladesh, when Natalia Parvez was batting for Pakistan, Sana Mir, in her commentary, referred to her as being from ‘Azad Kashmir,’ which ignited a debate. Mir mentioned that Parvez had to relocate to Lahore to pursue cricket. The video of Mir’s comment quickly went viral, prompting fans to urge the ICC to take action on social media.
Mir has since provided a clarification via her X handle. She expressed that she thought the situation was being blown out of proportion and that people in sports were under unnecessary pressure. She stated it was unfortunate that a public explanation was required.
She elaborated that her comment was focused on highlighting the difficulties faced by a Pakistani player due to her hometown and to emphasize her incredible journey. This, according to Mir, is part of the commentary that provides background on the players.
In her statement, Mir also mentioned she had made similar comments about two other players from different regions. She requested that the issue not be politicized and reiterated that she had no negative intentions.
Mir also shared the screenshot of the information she used to research the player, stating that she was referring to the information available to her at the time, even if it had been updated.