The world of cricket, often regarded as a neutral arena of sport, has once again been rocked by geopolitical controversy. This time, the storm arises from women’s cricket rather than the men’s game. Former Pakistan women’s team captain and now commentator, Sana Mir, has sparked a massive outcry in India for using the term “Azad Kashmir” on air during the match between Pakistan’s women’s team and Bangladesh at the ongoing Women’s World Cup.
The remark, made while discussing Pakistan player Natalia Pervaiz, triggered an immediate and furious backlash from Indian viewers, who accused Mir of politicizing an international broadcast. Many also criticized the BCCI and JioHotstar for allowing such a comment to go unchecked and for failing to take strict action in response.
The incident occurred during live commentary. While talking about the young talent in Pakistan’s squad, Mir said: “…Natalia, who comes from Kashmir, Azad Kashmir, plays in Lahore, a lot of cricket. She has to come to Lahore to play most of her cricket there.”
Mir appeared to correct herself from “Kashmir” to “Azad Kashmir”, a term used in Pakistan for the region India officially refers to as Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). This choice of words was immediately seized upon by Indian viewers. A clip of the commentary quickly went viral, with many calling it a deliberate political statement on a global stage.
@ICC @BCCI @JioHotstar
This is the very third class commentary please remove her from commentary this not we tolerate https://t.co/GqwfUDpnAa— I don't know (@Devashi18711645) October 2, 2025
While either the BCCI or JioHotstar couldn’t prevent Mir from making live commentary, viewers are now demanding that the BCCI take strict action against her and remove her from the commentary panel for the remainder of the World Cup.
The host broadcasters, including JioHotstar, have also faced heavy criticism, with many questioning how such a politically sensitive statement was allowed to go on air.
The controversy comes amidst the already strained cricketing relations between India and Pakistan, tensions that were recently amplified when India’s men’s team refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts during the Asia Cup.
Facing mounting backlash, Sana Mir issued a clarification on social media, urging the public not to “politicize” her comment.
However, the damage appears to have been done. The incident has once again highlighted how difficult it is to maintain political neutrality in one of the world’s most closely watched sporting rivalries. It remains to be seen whether the ICC, BCCI, or JioHotstar will issue an official statement or take any formal action regarding the incident during the Women’s World Cup. Stay tuned for more updates.
We’re hiring!
We are hiring two full-time junior to mid-level writers with the option to work remotely. You need to work a 5-hour shift and be available to write. Interested candidates should email their sample articles to [email protected]. Applications without a sample article will not be considered.
