A major controversial incident occurred during the match between Pakistan and Bangladesh in the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup. Despite suffering a defeat at the hands of the Indian team in the men's Asia Cup, Pakistan continues to indulge in petty antics. On Thursday, during the Women's ODI World Cup match, former Pakistan captain Sana Mir made a statement that sparked a new controversy. Currently commentating in the tournament, Sana Mir referred to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as Azad Kashmir, sparking a massive uproar on social media. The issue has escalated to the point where it has even caught the attention of the ICC. However, the ICC has not yet issued an official statement on the matter.
Controversial Commentary
During the Pakistan vs. Bangladesh match, Sana Mir, referring to Pakistan batsman Natalia Pervez, said, "Fatima Sana is captaining a very young team. Yes, they won the qualifier, but many of these players are completely new. Natalia, who comes from Kashmir...Azad Kashmir...she plays most of her cricket in Lahore. She has to come to Lahore to play most of her cricket." She initially referred to Natalia as a player from Kashmir, but immediately corrected herself and made a controversial and offensive statement, referring to Azad Kashmir. This very word became the real source of the uproar.
Why did the issue become sensitive?
The term "Azad Kashmir" has long been used by Pakistan. India considers all of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), to be its integral and sovereign territory. According to the Indian government, Pakistan's occupation of PoK is illegal and should be vacated immediately. India has consistently acknowledged this region as its territory, and Parliament has even passed a resolution to this effect. India demands that Pakistan withdraw its military and administrative presence from PoK and prioritizes diplomatic dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the issue. Consequently, Sana Mir's use of this term during a major tournament like the World Cup was seen as a direct political message, leading to her being criticized on social media.
Social Media Uproar
Sana Mir is facing intense opposition on social media. Many users called it political rhetoric and demanded action from the ICC. In India, the comment received particularly sharp reactions. People said that Sana Mir had hurt the spirit of sportsmanship by politicizing the game. The International Cricket Council (ICC) strongly opposes bringing politics into the game. However, Pakistanis are not relenting in their shameful rhetoric. After the controversial and offensive gestures in the men's Asia Cup, Pakistan has now continued its vile behavior in the Women's ODI World Cup.
Sana Mir's clarification
Seeing the growing controversy, Sana Mir wrote a lengthy post on social media to clarify. She stated that her intention was only to highlight Natalia's struggles, not to hurt anyone or make any political comments.
Sana wrote, "It's unfortunate that the issue is being blown out of proportion and that unnecessary pressure is being put on those involved in sports. The purpose of my comment was simply to highlight the story of a player who came from a different region and struggled to make a place for herself. It's part of our commentary to share the players' backgrounds and their inspiring journeys with the audience. There was no ill intent in this, nor was there any intention to hurt anyone's sentiments."
"Please don't make this political."
Sana Mir further said, "I did the same thing about two other players during my commentary today. I explained their backgrounds and the struggles they faced. Please don't link this to politics." As commentators, we have to focus on the game, the teams, and the players, and bring their stories of courage and struggle to the world.
Referencing Natalia's Profile
In her defense, Sana Mir shared a screenshot of Natalia Parvez's profile, which appears to be from a well-known cricket website. However, it's not confirmed whether it's original or photoshopped. She stated that she researches players before commentating and found this information during that research. Sana wrote, "I'm attaching a screenshot of the source I use for player information. It may have been changed, but what I said was taken from there."
Blaming Someone Else!
The website from which Sana's screenshot is taken no longer displays any such information. When viewing Parvez's profile, Pakistan-Administered Kashmir appears. The question also arises: why did Sana Mir check the profile on another website, since Natalia plays for Pakistan, so she wasn't aware of this talent? Secondly, even though she may have checked the profile, was she unaware of the controversy? Despite this, she made this statement and deliberately created a stir.
The ICC's Silence
The ICC has not yet issued a statement on this controversy. However, cricket experts believe that political rhetoric should not be allowed at an event like the World Cup. Commentators should maintain a neutral and professional approach in such matters. Furthermore, Suryakumar Yadav's reference to the Pahalgam attack during the men's Asia Cup was considered a political comment, and he was fined. However, Pakistan is not backing down from its controversial remarks regarding an integral part of India.
What will be the ICC's next step?
Sana Mir may have clarified her statement, but her controversial comment has become a topic of discussion in political circles more than on the cricket field. Clearly, mixing sports and politics always leads to controversy, and this time, too, something similar has happened. Now, all eyes are on the ICC to see what action it takes in this matter.
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