Former Mumbai Under-19 cricketer Anaya Bangar as received permission to play women’s Community Cricket in Australia after undergoing gender-affirming surgery in March earlier this year.
Anaya, who is the daughter of former India all-rounder and batting coach Sanjay Bangar, said the clearance means a lot to her after she feared that her cricket career was over.
Anaya Can Start Playing Community Cricket
Cricket Australia has cleared Anaya to play Community Cricket immediately. This includes Premier Cricket competitions across Australia’s states and territories.
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According to Cricket Australia’s policy, Premier Cricket comes under Community Cricket and is therefore different from Elite Cricket.
Anaya played age-group cricket for Mumbai and shared the dressing room with Test players Sarfaraz Khan and his younger brother Musheer Khan.
However, her eligibility for Elite Cricket, including the Women’s Big Bash League, will depend on her meeting Cricket Australia’s transgender and gender diverse player policy.
Will Anaya play Elite Cricket as well?
Under Cricket Australia’s ‘Transgender and Gender Diverse Players in Elite Cricket Policy’, a player’s serum testosterone must remain below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months to be eligible for Elite Cricket.
The International Cricket Council introduced its own policy in 2023, which prevents transgender women who have gone through male puberty from playing in the elite women’s international game.
Cricket Australia’s Head of Integrity Jacqui Partridge informed Anaya that her eligibility for Elite Cricket would be considered from March 2027.
Until then, Anaya can continue playing Community Cricket in Australia.
What is BCCI's take on Transgender Players?
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not currently have a specific policy regarding transgender women playing women’s domestic cricket.
A senior BCCI official told The Indian Express that the board is yet to take a formal decision on the matter.
Anaya said she had contacted the BCCI last year to ask about the eligibility rules but has not received a response.
Anaya Had Earlier Asked BCCI, ICC To Discuss Policy
In June 2025, Anaya posted on Instagram asking for a meeting with officials from the BCCI and ICC. She wanted to discuss a policy for transgender athletes based on scientific data rather than what she described as ‘outdated perceptions’.
She also said she had taken part in a research project conducted by the Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport. The project looked at the impact of hormone therapy on areas including her strength, stamina, hormone levels and glucose levels.
Anaya said Cricket Australia took the time to examine her case and study the documents she provided.
Where will Anaya play now?
Anaya is still recovering from her surgery but has already started looking for a club in Australia.
She said the Cricket Australia clearance has given her the opportunity to return to the sport she feared she would never play again.