![\"\u2018Incredibly](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-133518402,imgsize-50815,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/anaya-bangar.jpg\" "\\"Anaya")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNEW DELHI: Anaya Bangar has taken a major step towards returning to competitive cricket after Cricket Australia confirmed that she will be eligible to play elite women\u2019s cricket in the country from March 2027.Bangar, who underwent gender-affirming surgery in March, received the confirmation under Cricket Australia\u2019s Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse Players in Elite Cricket Policy. The decision opens a pathway for her to pursue a place in the Women\u2019s Big Bash League (WBBL), although she stressed that eligibility does not guarantee a franchise contract.In an exclusive conversation with Bombay Times, Anaya, daughter of former India all-rounder and batting coach Sanjay Bangar<\/a>, described the development as an emotional moment after fearing that her cricket career had ended following her transition.\u201cI am now eligible to play in the Women\u2019s Big Bash League (WBBL) in Australia from March 2027 onwards. For me, this is incredibly emotional because there was a point when I genuinely believed I had lost cricket forever,\u201d she told Bombay Times.\u201cCricket has been such a fundamental part of my identity since childhood, and having to step away from the sport after my transition was one of the hardest things I experienced. So this isn\u2019t simply about being included in a women\u2019s league. It represents the possibility of returning to the sport I deeply love,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Anaya was quick to clarify that Cricket Australia\u2019s decision only provides her with the opportunity to pursue elite women\u2019s cricket. She will still have to earn a place in a WBBL squad through her performances.\u201cCricket Australia has allowed me to pursue elite women\u2019s cricket in Australia. 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. I still have to train, compete, perform and earn that opportunity,\u201d she said.She explained that the WBBL\u2019s overseas-player contracting and draft system means she will have to convince a franchise of her value.\u201cThe WBBL has an overseas-player contracting and draft system, where clubs select from the pool of available international players, like it happens in the IPL or the WPL,\u201d Anaya said.\u201cSo ultimately, I still have to convince a franchise that I can contribute to their team. For me, that means getting back into competitive cricket in Australian leagues, working on my batting, bowling, fielding and fitness, training consistently and demonstrating that I can perform at that level.\u201d<\/p>\n The development comes against the backdrop of different policies governing transgender participation in cricket.Cricket Australia has a different framework for elite domestic cricket, allowing transgender women who meet its eligibility and testosterone-related criteria to participate.Anaya said she had hoped for a clearer pathway in India but eventually chose to focus on what she could control.\u201cWhen you grow up playing cricket competitively, the idea of potentially never being able to play again is incredibly difficult,\u201d she said.\u201cBut I\u2019ve also learned that I can\u2019t build my future around waiting for somebody else to make a decision. I had to focus on what I could control \u2014 my health, my transition, my performance, the scientific evidence, and having conversations with sporting organisations.\u201dShe added: \u201cI\u2019m grateful that I have a pathway in Australia, and I hope that my journey can contribute to a broader conversation about how sporting bodies can approach transgender participation with both fairness and inclusion.\u201dCricket Australia\u2019s eligibility confirmation said Anaya\u2019s determination to commence in March 2027 would not be affected by amendments to its policy. It also confirmed that she is currently eligible to participate in Premier Cricket competitions in any Australian state or territory.For Anaya, the ambition is ultimately straightforward: \u201cI would love to reach a point where I\u2019m simply another cricketer competing against some of the best players in the world.\u201d<\/div>\n Anaya Bangar (Pic credit: Bangar’s Instagram post) NEW DELHI: Anaya Bangar has taken a major step towards returning to competitive cricket after Cricket Australia confirmed that she will be eligible to play elite women\u2019s cricket in the country from March 2027.Bangar, who underwent gender-affirming surgery in March, received the confirmation under Cricket Australia\u2019s Inclusion of 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Bangar (Pic credit: Bangar’s Instagram post) NEW DELHI: Anaya Bangar has taken a major step towards returning to competitive cricket after Cricket Australia confirmed that she will be eligible to play elite women\u2019s cricket in the country from March 2027.Bangar, who underwent gender-affirming surgery in March, received the confirmation under Cricket Australia\u2019s Inclusion of […]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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secured, but WBBL place must still be earned<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
From uncertainty to a pathway in Australia<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"