Published on: Aug 26, 2026 4:20 pm IST|Updated on: Aug 26, 2026 4:20 pm IST
Former Indian all-rounder Sanjay Bangar’s daughter Anaya Bangar has received a major boost in her cricketing journey after Cricket Australia cleared her to pursue elite women’s cricket in Australia from March 2027. The decision has opened a potential pathway for her to play in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).
The 25-year-old, daughter of former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar, previously played age-group cricket in Mumbai as a male cricketer. She also played club cricket in Leicestershire, England, before stepping away from the sport following her gender transition.
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For Anaya, the clearance carries much more significance than simply getting an opportunity to play competitive cricket again. She had feared that her cricketing journey might have ended permanently after her gender transformation journey.
“I am now eligible to play in the Women’s 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. Cricket 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’t simply about being included in a women’s league. It represents the possibility of returning to the sport I deeply love.”– Anaya told Bombay Times.
The Cricket Australia decision allows Bangar to pursue women’s cricket in Australia. She can also take part in Premier Cricket competitions across the country, giving her an opportunity to return to competitive cricket and prove herself on the field. However, the clearance does not automatically guarantee a WBBL contract. Bangar will still need to train, compete, and perform well enough to attract the attention of a franchise.
She understands that the next stage of her journey will be about proving herself as a cricketer.
“Cricket Australia has allowed me to pursue elite women’s 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,”- Anaya said.
The WBBL has an overseas-player contracting and draft system. Therefore, eligibility only gives Bangar the chance to be considered by a franchise. She will have to convince a team that she can contribute at the highest level of domestic women’s cricket in Australia.
“The 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. So ultimately, I still have to convince a franchise that I can contribute to their team,” Anaya said.
Bangar’s return to cricket comes after a difficult period in her life. She underwent hormone replacement therapy in June 2025 and gender-affirming surgery in March 2026. She later submitted scientific reports as part of the eligibility process.
Cricket Australia’s policy requires players seeking elite women’s cricket eligibility to meet its testosterone-related criteria. Reports state that the policy requires serum testosterone to remain below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months. For Bangar, the immediate focus is now on getting back onto the cricket field. Premier Cricket can provide valuable match practice before she targets a possible WBBL opportunity from March 2027.
Her journey has already involved significant challenges, but the Cricket Australia clearance has given her a route back into competitive cricket.
“When you grow up playing cricket competitively, the idea of potentially never being able to play again is incredibly difficult. But I’ve also learned that I can’t build my future around waiting for somebody else to make a decision,” she explained.
Anaya will now hit the field to get her practice and training underway, as this new development in her cricketing career is more than just a lifeline for the game she has loved and admired for all her life.