Former Pakistan captain Sana Mir continued as part of the commentary panel for the India vs Pakistan Women’s World Cup 2025 match at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, despite facing backlash for her recent “Azad Kashmir” remark.
Controversy Over On-Air Comment
During Pakistan’s opening match against Bangladesh last Thursday, Mir, while describing batter Natalia Pervaiz’s background, said:
“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 matches.”
Her reference to “Azad Kashmir” sparked criticism on social media, with many users urging the ICC to take action for allegedly politicizing the broadcast.
Sana Mir Responds to Backlash
Responding to the controversy, Mir issued a clarification on X (formerly Twitter). She wrote that her remarks were taken out of context and that her intention was only to highlight a player’s journey.
“It’s unfortunate how things are being blown out of proportion. My comment about a Pakistan player’s hometown was meant to highlight her challenges and journey,” she said.
“As commentators, we share inspiring stories of grit and perseverance. There was no malice or intent to hurt sentiments.”
She also shared a screenshot of her research sources, saying that she relied on publicly available information while preparing for her commentary.
Still Part of the Commentary Team
Despite the criticism, Sana Mir remained in the World Feed commentary team for the India-Pakistan clash. Although she was not seen on Star Sports, India’s official broadcaster, screenshots of her from a Pakistan channel went viral.
In the images, Mir appeared alongside Mithali Raj, former India captain, discussing match strategies before the toss.
Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first, while India made one change — Renuka Thakur replaced Amanjot Kaur in the playing XI.
