Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar’s kin has undergone Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and now identifies as Anaya Bangar. The 23-year-old used to play for a local club, Islam Gymkhana, previously. Anaya Bangar’s career has come to an end as the ICC rules ban transgenders from participating in women’s events.
Who is Anaya Bangar?
Anaya took to social media platform to share the journey of transformation via the HRT and how it meant having to give up “cricket”. However, the dreams may remain dream as playing women’s cricket is still a no-go in India after undergoing HRT.
Former India cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar’s son Aryan Bangar decided to undergo Hormone Replacement Therapy. She recently shared her transformation story on social media. Anaya Bangar, as she is known now as, wrote, “Losing strength but gaining happiness. Body changing, dysphoria easing… still a long way to go, but each step feels more like me.”
In a social media post made earlier, Anaya Bangar said that cricket was “love, passion, ambition and future” but never thought it the journey would end. Anaya revealed that she wanted to follow her father’s footsteps.
Can Anaya Bangar play cricket?
However, Anaya Bangar cannot play cricket any longer after undergoing sex change. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned transgender players from competing in women’s international cricket. The ban applies to players who have experienced male puberty, regardless of whether they have undergone gender reassignment or surgery. The new rules are “based on science and are intended to protect the safety and integrity of the women’s game”.
The board however left it to individual boards to determine their participation in domestic cricket. Anaya Bangar, who resides in Manchester currently, cannot play cricket in England either as the ECB recently banned the participation of transgenders in the sport.
