During the Women’s World Cup, Pakistani commentator and former captain Sana Mir came under fire from Indian media after she mentioned that cricketer Natalia Pervez hails from Azad Kashmir.
Sana Mir clarified that noting a player’s hometown is a routine part of commentary and expressed disappointment that she had to explain this publicly. She added that politicizing sports is deeply regrettable and puts unnecessary pressure on athletes and commentators alike.
Observers stressed that sports should remain free from hatred and politics. Unfortunately, incidents like this show that even the playing field is not immune to bias. Earlier, during the Asia Cup, Indian players had refused to shake hands with Pakistani cricketers and declined to accept the trophy from PCB Chairman and Asian Cricket Council President, Mushtaq Nawaz, reflecting recurring tensions in cricket diplomacy.
Sana Mir | Natalia Pervez | Women’s World Cup | Indian Media | Pakistan Cricket | Azad Kashmir | Cricket Politics | Sportsmanship | Asia Cup | PCB |