Exclusive | Trans cricketer Anaya Bangar says she's fit to play for women's team: ‘Hope my father stands by me one day’
Former cricketer Sanjay Bangar’s trans daughter shares why she's rallying to include transgender women in cricket, and talks about her relationship with her dad
Anaya Bangar was on track to follow her father India cricketer Sanjay Bangar’s footsteps and someday play for the Indian cricket team. But somewhere along that path came the call to live her truth as a trans woman.
Now, she has called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to revisit their policy that excludes transgender persons from competitive cricket across formats.
In a viral Instagram post, the 24-year-old shared a detailed scientific report to support her appeal. Anaya, who began transitioning in 2021, tells us, “It began as me wanting to play again, but the more I spoke up, the more I realised that my journey is tied to so many who feel invisible in Indian sport. My personal dream and public advocacy have become the same thing now,” she tells us, adding, “Walking back onto the field, this time as Anaya, won’t just be about playing but reclaiming the right to belong, compete, and dream with dignity.”
Support, she says, has been private but overwhelming: “Well-known cricketers from both the men’s and women’s sides have messaged me. Some just sent a heart. Some said, ‘We see you.’ It made me emotional. Because in a sport where silence is common, even a whisper of support can feel like thunder,” adds Anaya.
When asked if she believes that a day will come when the women’s cricket world will welcome Anaya, and she states unflinchingly: “Indian women cricketers have always shown strength, grace and resilience. I’ve seen them fight — for recognition, resources, and respect. That gives me hope. I believe they understand what it means to be sidelined and underestimated. That shared experience makes me feel like there’s room for sisterhood and solidarity here.”
While she’s won several battles on the pitch, there’s one that she’s still waiting on — her father’s support. “My relationship with my father is complex, like many families navigating change,” Anaya says of Sanjay, who is yet to publicly acknowledge her transition. “I hope that one day he will find a way to stand beside me,” she ends.
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