Anaya Bangar, the child of former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar, has received clearance to play female Community Cricket in Australia. She underwent gender affirming surgery in March this year. She had previously played age-group cricket for Mumbai alongside Sarfaraz Khan and his brother Musheer Khan.
Cricket Australia has given her the clearance to play community cricket immediately. However, to play ‘Elite Cricket’ like the Women’s Big Bash League, she will have to meet certain eligibility criteria. The policy requires a player’s serum testosterone to be below 10 nmol/L for a period of no less than 12 months.
According to a letter from Cricket Australia’s Head of Integrity, Anaya will be eligible for Elite Cricket from March 2027. But she has to provide a blood test confirming that her testosterone levels remain below the required limit. She has now been given the opportunity to play community cricket. She will be able to play in Premier Cricket competitions in Australia immediately.
The ICC banned transgender players from elite women’s cricket in 2023 if they have gone through male puberty. Anaya said she wrote to the BCCI last year but has not received a reply. A BCCI official said the board has not yet decided on a policy for trans women playing women’s cricket.
Anaya Bangar Says Cricket Australia Has Given Her Another Chance
Anaya Bangar, a former Mumbai Under-19 cricketer, has received clearance from Cricket Australia to play women’s community cricket. She underwent gender-affirming surgery in March this year. She is the daughter of former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar and previously played age-group cricket alongside Sarfaraz Khan and his brother Musheer Khan.
She said it was a great day for her and that she thought she would never play cricket again. She thanked Cricket Australia for giving her another chance. She will now head to Australia to find a club and begin playing community cricket.
Cricket Australia’s policy requires a player’s serum testosterone to be below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months to be eligible for Elite Cricket. Anaya will be eligible for Elite Cricket from March 2027. This is conditional on her providing a blood test. That will confirm that her levels remain below the required limit. She will need to meet these criteria if she wants to play in competitions like the Women’s Big Bash League.
Anaya had previously participated in a research project at Manchester Metropolitan University. The study examined how hormone therapy affected her metrics. She said Cricket Australia reviewed her report and medical history before giving her clearance. She expressed gratitude for their inclusive approach.
She described her transition journey as painful but said it has made her comfortable and happier in her own skin. She said she would do it again despite the challenges. She had previously spoken about the physical changes after hormone therapy, including reduced muscle strength. She acknowledged that she could no longer face bowling at 140 kph.
Anaya Bangar: Sanjay Bangar’s Daughter and Her Cricket Journey
Anaya Bangar is the daughter of former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar. She was born male but always identified as a woman. She came out as a trans woman in August last year through an Instagram post. She is 25 years old and has been on hormone replacement therapy for over a year. Her transition has been a long and difficult journey, beginning when she was just 8 or 9 years old.
She has spoken openly about the lack of support from Indian cricket. She said no institution or player has reached out to her. She said her parents helped pay for her hormone therapy, but she has managed everything else on her own. She used her savings from her age-group cricket days to fund her transition. She said she inherited silence and had to build a voice loud enough to survive it.
Anaya has also faced backlash for speaking out against toxic masculinity in Indian cricket. She said she was labelled an attention seeker. She responded by saying that silence allows toxicity to thrive. She shared her story for others who might face similar situations.
The ICC banned transgender players from women’s international cricket in 2023 if they have gone through male puberty. The ECB and the FA have also introduced similar policies. Anaya said she wants a system where the next trans girl who wants to play cricket is welcomed, not seen as a threat.
She has recently received clearance from Cricket Australia to play female community cricket. She will be eligible for Elite Cricket from March 2027. She expressed her gratitude and said she thought she would never play cricket again. Her story is a call for policy change and a more inclusive approach to sport. She wants her story to be the last one built on survival instead of support.
FAQs
Q. What clearance did Anaya receive?
A. Anaya was cleared for female community cricket in Australia.
Q. When can Anaya play Elite Cricket?
A. Anaya can become eligible for Elite Cricket from March 2027.
Q. What testosterone level is required?
A. Her serum testosterone must stay below 10 nmol/L.
Q. What happened to Anaya in March?
A. Anaya underwent gender-affirming surgery in March 2026.
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