Transgender cricketer Anaya Bangar has been cleared by Cricket Australia to be eligible for the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) starting in March 2027. The decision follows Cricket Australia's policy on the inclusion of transgender and gender diverse players in elite cricket.
Bangar, 25, who is the daughter of former India cricketer and national batting coach Sanjay Bangar, will also be immediately eligible to play in women's community and Premier Cricket competitions across all Australian states and territories. This ruling provides a pathway to elite domestic cricket but does not guarantee Bangar a contract with a WBBL franchise.
"It is a great day for me, especially after knowing the fact that I can play cricket," Bangar told The Indian Express. "There was a stage when I thought I would never play cricket again, but thanks to Cricket Australia, it has given me another chance."
To meet the policy's requirements, transgender women must maintain a serum testosterone concentration below 10 nanomoles per litre for at least 12 months and comply with ongoing monitoring. Bangar underwent gender-affirming surgery in March 2026.
Bangar previously played in Mumbai's youth cricket system as a batter and all-rounder. She also contacted the Board of Control for Cricket in India last year regarding playing women's cricket in the country but did not receive a response.
Her next steps involve securing a position in an Australian club and improving her match fitness. "The next challenge is to get myself into the best possible physical and competitive shape and put myself in a position to be considered by a WBBL franchise," Bangar stated. "I still have to train, compete, perform and earn that opportunity."
The WBBL recruits international cricketers through overseas-player contracts and a draft system. Bangar must demonstrate her ability to perform at the required level to be selected by a franchise.
Cricket Australia's domestic rules differ from those of the International Cricket Council (ICC). In 2023, the ICC ruled that transgender women who experienced male puberty cannot compete in international women's matches, irrespective of medical interventions. However, this ruling pertains to ICC-sanctioned international cricket and does not restrict national governing bodies from setting their own eligibility criteria for domestic competitions.