Sana Mir Sparks Controversy Over Kashmir During Women's World Cup Commentary
Bengaluru: On October 2, former Pakistani cricket captain Sana Mir stirred the Kashmir issue during her commentary for the Women's World Cup match between Pakistan and Bangladesh. While discussing player Natalia Pervaiz, Mir referred to her as hailing from 'Azad Kashmir,' a term used by Pakistan to describe the region it occupies illegally. Pervaiz, aged 29, is from Bandala in the Bhimber District, which is part of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). India asserts that this entire area is unlawfully occupied by Pakistan and is an integral part of its territory. Mir, who was recently honored as the first female cricketer from Pakistan to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, utilized this platform to mention the disputed region using terminology favored by Pakistan.
During her commentary, Mir remarked: 'Yes, they have won the qualifiers, but many of these players are new. Natalia, who comes from Kashmir, Azad Kashmir, plays in Lahore, where she participates in a lot of cricket.' Pakistan was dismissed for just 129 runs, with Bangladesh successfully chasing the target in 31.1 overs, winning by seven wickets.
This is something that should not be stated on an international platform. Sana Mir needs to be held accountable for this. There is no such thing as Azad Kashmir.
Upcoming India-Pakistan Match and Diplomatic Tensions
With the India-Pakistan Women's World Cup match set for October 5 in Colombo, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has directed the Indian team to maintain minimal interaction with Pakistani players, reflecting ongoing diplomatic strains between the two nations. The BCCI has enforced a complete ban on bilateral cricket series with Pakistan since the 2012-13 season, which was the last time Pakistan toured India for a limited-overs series. India has not visited Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup, following the Mumbai terror attacks that resulted in 166 fatalities.
The BCCI's stance is clear: no bilateral cricket will resume until Pakistan takes decisive action against terrorism and ceases using its territory for cross-border attacks on India. This policy has been consistently upheld across various BCCI administrations and enjoys support from the Indian government. Currently, India and Pakistan only compete in multi-nation tournaments organized by the ICC or the Asian Cricket Council, such as World Cups, Champions Trophy, and Asia Cup events. Even in these tournaments, India has adopted a neutral venue policy, refusing to play in Pakistan.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia informed a media outlet that India will adhere to official cricket protocols but noted that decisions regarding gestures like handshakes will be flexible based on the situation. Tensions escalated during the recently concluded Asia Cup 2025, where Indian players, including captain Suryakumar Yadav, declined to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts. The trophy presentation also became contentious when Team India refused to accept the trophy from Pakistani official Mohsin Naqvi, who is the Chief of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Naqvi, who also holds the position of Pakistan’s Interior Minister and PCB chairman, denied claims that he had apologized to the BCCI and insisted he would only release the trophy if India collected it from the ACC office, maintaining that he had done nothing wrong. This standoff has now been escalated to the ICC, leaving Indian cricket authorities and fans frustrated as political tensions overshadow what should be a celebration of sporting achievement.