A fresh controversy has erupted in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup after Pakistani commentator and former captain Sana Mir introduced national batter Natalia Pervaiz as a player from Azad Jammu and Kashmir during commentary.
The remark, made during Pakistan’s match against Bangladesh in Colombo, triggered outrage across Indian media outlets, with many anchors demanding disciplinary action.
Azad Kashmir mention triggers Indian backlash
While performing commentary duties on behalf of the ICC, Sana Mir introduced Pakistan’s Natalia Pervaiz by highlighting her roots from Azad Kashmir. The clip quickly went viral in India, where most mainstream channels and anchors turned it into a political issue.
For many Indian anchors, the mere mention of “Azad Kashmir” was treated as an explosive moment. Several demanded the ICC take action against Mir, accusing her of “politicising” cricket.
Natalia Pervaiz’s background
Natalia Pervaiz, a talented batter, belongs to the Bandala Valley of Bhimber district in Azad Kashmir. She has proudly represented Pakistan in international matches across various countries.
Sana Mir’s intention, as she later clarified, was to highlight Pervaiz’s journey and the challenges she faced while rising from her home region to the world stage.
Sana Mir responds to propaganda
Amid growing controversy, Sana Mir issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), expressing disappointment over the politicization of her words.
“As a commentator on the World Feed, we are meant to focus on the sport, teams, and players. Mentioning the home regions of the players is part of the story. My comment was to highlight the journey and difficulties of a player. Please do not give everything a political colour.”
Mir added that it was “sad” to even issue a public explanation over something so routine, urging critics not to put unnecessary pressure on sports professionals.
Website removes Azad Kashmir reference
Following the uproar, a cricket website that had listed Natalia Pervaiz’s origins as “Azad Kashmir” quietly removed the reference. Sana Mir shared a screenshot of the original webpage on social media, where it was clearly written that Pervaiz belonged to Azad Kashmir.
This sudden edit, made after the Indian media storm, has fuelled further criticism of how sports and athletes are often dragged into geopolitical disputes.
